Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. I refer to Australian Bureau of Statistics data released last week that showed the workforce participation rate has now fallen 0.6 percentage points over the past 12 months to 64.4 per cent, the lowest participation rate in a decade. Why are Australian jobseekers the losers under Mr Turnbull?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am sorry to have to tell you this, Senator Chisholm, but the premise of your question is wrong. The premise of your question is wrong because, as I pointed out to your colleague Senator Watt a little earlier, unemployment in Australia at the moment, at 5.6 per cent, is at its lowest level in three years. That is the key indicator of the health of the labour market—the unemployment rate. You can ask about the participation rate, but it is does not follow from that proposition that the labour market is in a poor condition. The unemployment rate, at 5.6 per cent, is the lowest it has been for three years, and there is a reason for that, Senator Chisholm. The reason is that the policies of the Turnbull government are working. The policies of the Turnbull government are working to create more jobs—twice as many new jobs created in the past 12 months as in the last 12 months of the Labor government. Senator Chisholm, I know you were not a member of that government, but I think you were a party official of some description. In the last year of the previous Labor government, the rate of growth of new jobs was half what it has been under this government.

Senator Chisholm, it is not a surprise that the unemployment rate is at a three-year low, it is not a surprise that consumer confidence and business confidence is buoyant and it is not a surprise that our exports are booming and that the various contributing sectors to our exports are booming, because the policies of this government are working. If the Labor Party would get out of the way here in the Senate and pass some— (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chisolm, a supplementary question.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I again refer to ABS data released last week that showed the participation rate for young people has now fallen 1.5 percentage points over the past 12 months to 65.9 per cent, the lowest rate experienced over a 30-year period. Why are young Australian job seekers the losers under Mr Turnbull?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chisholm, let me give you some more relevant information. Total unemployment has fallen by 2,000 in the past month. It has declined over the year. The female unemployment rate is now the lowest it has been since July 2013. That is an employment participation figure that you may care, Senator Chisholm, to deny, but it is the reality and it is an outcome that this government celebrates—the female unemployment rate is the lowest it has been since July 2013.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order, Senator Wong?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We did not ask about the female participation rate. We asked about the participation rate of young people.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. I remind the Attorney-General of the question.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I was simply trying to explain to Senator Chisholm that if you inquire as to the health of the labour market the most relevant inquiry is as to the unemployment rate, which has fallen as a headline rate. The female unemployment rate, in particular, has fallen to the lowest level in three years. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chisolm, a final supplementary question.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Was overseeing an economic agenda under which jobseekers, including young people, lose out the kind of economic leadership Mr Turnbull had in mind when he deposed former Prime Minister Abbott?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chisholm, the kind of economic leadership that Mr Turnbull has in mind is the kind of economic leadership that sees unemployment fall, as it has done. It is the kind of economic leadership that sees exports boom, as they have done. It is the kind of economic leadership that sees consumer confidence and business confidence boom, as they have done. It is a kind of economic leadership that sees not only the unemployment rate fall but the youth unemployment rate fall to 13.2 per cent from a peak of 14.5 per cent within a year after the coalition government was elected. On every metric you care to identify, Senator Chisholm, whether it be the employment rate, whether it be the strength of the economy, whether it be economic growth of 3.3 per cent—the strongest in the G7—whether it be the strength of exports or whether it be the strength of confidence, this government's economic policies are working. (Time expired)