Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Smith for her question and for focusing on the cost of living and on jobs for the Australian people. I do note the fact that we're not getting any questions on either of those subjects from those opposite. Today's remarkable jobs figures—the labour force figures that were released today—really are extraordinary. They show that the unemployment rate has been revised down to 3.7 per cent, substantially down on last month's figures and, again, showing the record level of job numbers—790,000 jobs that have been created under this Labor government. So, when we talk cost of living, getting wages moving and getting people into jobs so they can work more and earn more has been a key focus of our economic plan.

Today's new job figures show that 116,500 new jobs were created in February. What we're also seeing is inflation moderate and our employment rate remaining incredibly resilient. We've had a welcome pause on interest rates. We're seeing wages growth for the first time in a decade. These are all really important measures to make sure that, along with our other policies on cost of living, people are earning more and working more and that, under our tax cuts, they will keep more of what they earn.

We know those opposite hate it. They hate the fact that there have been 790,000 jobs created under this Labor government's economic plan and that, in addition to that, our cost-of-living measures combined with these incredible results mean we are doing what we can to support people through this time. (Time expired)