Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Stoker for her question but, in particular, I congratulate Senator Stoker for the great work she did on the ground to deliver so many seats to the LNP in the election—and how that compares with the efforts that Senator Watt made during the election. I believe, Senator Watt, that you lost every seat you visited. A lot of people owe their lack of being here to Senator Watt.

We are a job-creating government. Since 2013 we have put in place the right policy framework so that employers out there—the Australian economy—can create jobs. In fact since we were elected in 2013, the economy has now created 1.4 million jobs. As you know, when we were first elected, in 2013, we said we'd create a million jobs within five years. Because of the policies we put in place, we delivered that commitment ahead of schedule. In relation to the 1.4 million jobs, 60 per cent of those have been full-time.

The unemployment rate in Australia as at May was 5.2 per cent. When Labor last left office—a while ago now—it was 5.7 per cent. The economy continues to create jobs because of the policies that the coalition government has put in place. In May of this year we actually saw employment in Australia reach an all-time high of almost 12,900,000 Australians in work. We also saw confidence in the jobs market being the highest ever, with 66 per cent as the participation rate. It is because of the policies of the coalition government— (Time expired)