Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Jobs and Innovation) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you to Senator Colbeck for the question. Last night Australians saw our Treasurer set out our government's plan for a stronger economy, and this of course includes backing business to invest more—of course, ultimately, to create more jobs. Last year, 2017, saw the strongest year of jobs growth on record. In excess of 415,000 more jobs were created and, colleagues, three-quarters of those jobs were full-time jobs. In the last 12 months of the former Labor government, do you know what happened to full-time jobs? The economy actually shed around 17,000 full-time jobs. Sixteen consecutive months of jobs growth is the longest Australia has ever seen on record. Under this government, in excess of a thousand jobs are being created per day. In fact, as a result of our record on jobs growth, the proportion of working-age Australians now dependent on welfare has fallen—that's right—to the lowest level in 25 years. On this side of the chamber, we will never shy away from the fact that the best form of welfare is a job. How are we doing it? We are putting in place the right economic framework that backs business. How are we doing that? We are legislating tax cuts for all businesses, prioritising small and medium businesses first. We are delivering infrastructure that supports industries and jobs. Why? It's because on this side of the chamber we know a stronger economy means more business investment and the creation of more jobs.