Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

I refer the minister to the Treasurer's tweet: 'At 5.5 per cent Australia has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the developed world.' Are you aware that, according to The Economist of 8 June 2013, several developed economies have unemployment rates that are lower than Australia's, including Japan at 4.1 per cent, Austria at 4.9 per cent, Norway at 3.7 per cent, Switzerland at 3.1 per cent, Singapore at 1.9 per cent, South Korea at 3.2 per cent, Taiwan at 4.2 per cent and Hong Kong at 3.5 per cent? Minister, do you concede that these countries have lower unemployment figures than Australia does?