Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

There's so much wrong with that question. There is no $80 billion handout to big business. The next point I would make is that less-profitable businesses will be less successful and will hire fewer people, and that would lead to lower wages. We had a period of weakening economic growth at the back of the Labor period in government. We had to work to turn that situation around. You're quite right: profits are strengthening, and that is good news for the job security of millions and millions of working Australians. For example, look at the good workers at Qantas. When Labor was in government—at the tail end of Labor's period in government, when Qantas were making $3 billion worth of losses—people were losing their jobs. Qantas have been able to turn the situation around. They're now getting back into profitability, the job security of their workers is improving and the wage increases for Qantas workers are improving.