Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. The latest labour force data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that since the Abbott-Turnbull government was elected the unemployment rate in Western Australia has increased by two percentage points, to 6.6 per cent, with an additional 30,400 people without work. Minister, is this an example of the buoyant labour market that you described yesterday?

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

I am not in a position to comment on individual state figures, but I will refer you to the national figures. Over the last 12 months this government has created 91½ thousand jobs. That is four times the rate of job creation than in the last year of the Labor government, when 22,800 jobs were created.

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

Senator Sterle, a point of order?

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order on relevance: I specifically asked the minister about Western Australia. I do not need to be lectured to on other parts of Australia. It is clearly Western Australia. If you do not know, take it on notice.

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

Thank you, Senator Sterle. The minister said upfront in his answer that he could not break down the individual states; he could only give you national figures. So the minister has, in effect, answered the question. Minister.

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

So, Senator Sterle, Western Australian jobs are part of the national jobs figures. The point I made yesterday and the point I would make to you again is that the rate of job creation under this government in 2016 is slightly more than four times greater than the rate of job creation under the last year of the Labor government. Rather than take it from me, Senator Sterle, perhaps you may have seen this morning, reported in the financial press, the monetary policy statement by the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Dr Philip Lowe. This is what Dr Philip Lowe, the Governor of the Reserve Bank, had to say about labour market conditions:

Labour market indicators continue to be mixed and there is considerable variation in employment outcomes across the country. The unemployment rate has moved a little higher recently, but growth in full-time employment turned positive late in 2016. The forward-looking indicators point to continued expansion in employment over the period ahead.

So the view that I expressed yesterday, coincidentally, was the same view as that expressed by the Governor of the Reserve Bank. (Time expired)

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

Senator Sterle, a supplementary question.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister confirm that there are now 23,700 fewer people employed in Western Australia than when Prime Minister Turnbull deposed former Prime Minister Abbott?

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

Senator Sterle, as I said to you in answer to your primary question, I do not have the disaggregated, state-by-state figures before me. But what I can tell you is that across the economy there are 91½ thousand more jobs today, new jobs, than there were 12 months ago.

Senator Sterle, turning to Western Australia, let me tell you some of the specific measures that the government has taken in relation to Western Australia to encourage the creation of jobs. In the 2015-16 budget the government announced a $5 billion infrastructure fund to support the funding of key infrastructure projects. Parts of Western Australia that are the beneficiaries of funding under the infrastructure fund include the Forrestfield Airport Link, under which the government will provide an additional $490 million towards—

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

Order! Pause the clock. A point of order, Senator Sterle?

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not true. The Labor government delivered that project, so do not start that. The lies about the airport link—

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

Senator Sterle, resume your seat. That is not a point of order. Attorney, have you completed your answer?

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

Yes, Mr President.

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

Senator Sterle, a final supplementary question.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is lecturing the 94,400 Western Australians unemployed under the Turnbull government about a 'buoyant jobs market' really the best the minister can offer?

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

Well, as I said to you, Senator Sterle, in my answer to your supplementary question, the observation that I made in question time yesterday coincidentally was the same observation that the Governor of the Reserve Bank was making yesterday afternoon. Senator Sterle, I mentioned specific measures that are beneficial to Western Australia. Let me go on: the Perth Freight Link. The Commonwealth government has committed $1.2 billion of the $1.9 billion cost of the Perth Freight Link. The construction phase of that project will create 2,400 direct jobs and an expected 10,000 indirect jobs. Then we turn to NorthLink Western Australia. The Tonkin Highway grade separations and the Swan Valley bypass projects, known as NorthLink WA, have attracted a Commonwealth government commitment of $894.3 million. (Time expired)