Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

What the government will be outlining tonight in our Economic Action Strategy is a plan that will see the economy grow, a plan that will see more jobs created. When we see more jobs created, there will be fewer people on Newstart, because our objective on this side of the chamber is to see fewer people on Newstart and more people in work. Our objective on this side of the chamber is to see fewer people on the disability support pension and more Australians with disability in the workforce, where they want to be. Far from seeking to target people on Newstart or people on the disability support pension, we want to help those people with their hand up saying, 'I want to work,' to work. The best way to do that is to create the environment that is conducive for business to create jobs. When there are jobs, these people on the DSP and on Newstart with their hand up saying, 'I want to work,' will have the opportunity to work. That is what this budget is all about: providing jobs and providing opportunity.