Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brandis for his question. At the first press conference, the Prime Minister was asked what her priorities were. She replied:

My priority as we look through the issues of the Government is to make sure that in every area we are working hard for Australian families, we are working hard for those Australians who work hard themselves; who set the alarm clock early, who get up in the morning, get the kids to school and go to work and work hard. I want to make sure that we are working with them.

And that is exactly what this government has achieved. Labor in government has kept our economy strong in the face of the global financial crisis. The economy is 14 per cent larger now than it was when we came to government, outperforming other advanced economies. The cash rate is very low at 2.75 per cent, lower than at any time under the last Liberal government. Let me just repeat that: the cash interest rate is lower than at any time under those previous. The unemployment, at 5.5 per cent, is well below the OECD average of eight per cent. And we continue to enjoy a AAA credit rating from each of the three leading rating agencies, something those opposite in government never achieved. (Time expired)