George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I am going to address your question, Senator Ketter, but I think I am at liberty, Mr President, to give some context to my answer. Senator Ketter, we learned recently that economic growth in this country has risen to 3.3 per cent—one of the strongest economic growth figures this country has enjoyed for years and an exceptionally strong figure by international comparisons. Senator Ketter, during the last year of the government of which you were a member, economic growth languished at 1.9 per cent. Exports today are 9.6 per cent higher than they were 12 months ago—the strongest growth of exports in 16 years. Jobs growth in the last year of the government of which you were a member, Senator Ketter, was 86,000 additional jobs in that year. In the past year, it was nearly 220,000—2½ times the rate of growth in the last year of the government of which you were a member. Senator Ketter, you asked me—

Senator Gallagher interjecting—