Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It would be a lovely idea, Senator Urquhart. As I said earlier, they have gone very quiet on the jobs front of late. We have not heard very much from that side so I am looking forward to hearing what they are going to do. Why do they not come up a policy that lends support to manufacturing, instead of scaring it away? Why do they not come up support to stop jobs being sent overseas such as the jobs in Qantas? Why do they not focus on creating services that help and support job seekers rather than punish them? Why do they not invest in higher education and instead of a deregulation agenda which puts a university degree out of the reach of the average Australian listen to the people? I was at an inquiry earlier this evening and unable to be at the vote but I was very pleased that the education reforms were voted down.

Unemployed Australians are this government's excuse—their alibi—for their failure to create jobs. They cannot recognise their own failures, so they blame the victims of the failures instead. Australian job seekers deserve a government— (Time expired)