Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Again, when you look at the evidence, based on the policies that the coalition government have put in place, when we look at where we were at the outset of COVID-19 and where we are today—if you recall, at the outset of COVID-19, Treasury was modelling that at the height of COVID-19 unemployment could potentially go as high as 15 per cent. What they were saying was two million Australians could have been out of work. Then you look at the policy response from the coalition government. Look at where we are now. In December 2021, the unemployment rate dropped to 4.2 per cent. We're at near record high participation. That is a good thing. Over $300 billion in health and economic support, provided through our economic plan, has helped us to reach this point. It is because of the policies put in place by the coalition government that Australians are in work. (Time expired)