Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Despite all the challenges that have been faced, more Australians are in work today than ever before. More Australians are in work today than ever before. Indeed, 1.7 million additional jobs have been created during the time of our government. Unemployment today stands, in its last recorded figures, at 4.2 per cent. That is a 13-year low. These are economic outcomes that would very much be the envy of so many other nations of the world. Just one year ago, unemployment was 6.6 per cent. It's now at 4.2 per cent. We see women's workforce participation at its highest level with more than one million additional Australian women in jobs than was the case when our government was elected. Youth unemployment has fallen to its lowest level since 2008. Again, investment in trades and in apprenticeships has helped to drive outcomes there, protecting young Australians from the ravages that previous recessions and economic downturns have inflicted upon them. (Time expired)