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

I thank Senator Fawcett for his question. Recently job creation in Australia hit a significant milestone—that is, the creation of one million new jobs under the coalition government since we were elected to office in September 2013. When we were elected to office in September 2013, we said to the Australian people that we would put in place the right policy framework to ensure businesses in Australia could prosper and grow. We also said to the Australian people that we would ensure the economy created one million new jobs within five years. Colleagues, as you know, the economy under the Turnbull government has done that in fewer than five years: just over 4½.

Mr President, on this side of the chamber we know that job creation doesn't happen by accident. As a government you have to put in place the right policy framework. That's exactly what we're doing. We are delivering personal and business tax cuts. We've signed numerous free trade agreements. We've invested billions of dollars in job-creating infrastructure. We're also investing in the jobs of the future by building a world-class defence industry and with the announcement of the very first Australian Space Agency. Job creation under this government continues to be strong. The labour force figures were just recently released, and confirmed that in excess of 1,030,000 jobs have been created since September 2013. The number of jobs in Australia is now at a record high of 12.5 million. The number of women in jobs in Australia is also at a record high of 5.8 million. Again, it doesn't happen by accident; it happens because this government puts in place the right policy framework.