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

There might not be anyone left to ask questions of! My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. In a recent interview with Fran Kelly, the Treasurer, Mr Morrison, said:

… inequality – it's actually gotten better.

Does the Treasurer's statement reflect the government's position?

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

Senator Wong, I haven't seen Mr Morrison's statement. However, Senator Wong—

Senator Wong interjecting—

Calm yourself, Senator Wong. However, I can imagine very well what Mr Morrison was referring to, and that is that the government intends that Australia shall be a more prosperous and better nation in which every single Australian has the chance to get ahead. And that, Senator Wong, has been this government's track record. Senator Wong, over 60,000 people went out to get a full-time job in June and got one. There were 60,000 new full-time jobs in June alone as a result of this government's policies. As a result of this government's policies, over 240,000 jobs have been created in the past financial year—in one financial year alone. It is the strongest financial year of jobs growth since the GFC. Over 175,000 of those jobs—almost three-quarters—have been full-time jobs. In fact, honourable senators will be interested to know that since the government came to office almost four years ago over 700,000 new jobs have been created—over 50 per cent of which have been full-time jobs. So, Senator Wong, that, no doubt, is what Mr Morrison was referring to: that under our government more people are getting jobs—and better jobs—and more people are prospering. We, through our economic policies, and led by the Prime Minister and Minister Morrison, are showing the way forward for a fairer and more prosperous country. (Time expired)

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

Senator Wong, a supplementary question?

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

The Governor of the Reserve Bank, Dr Lowe, says that inequality has:

… become more pronounced particularly in the last five or six years …

Does the Turnbull government think that the Governor of the Reserve Bank is wrong?

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

Senator Wong, what we think, what we intend to do and what we are doing is to make sure that every single Australian shares in the benefits of our growing economy, because we know that the best way to reduce poverty and the best way to create equality, equality of opportunity in particular, is to ensure that strong job growth continues.

I have given you the figures, Senator Wong: 60,000 new jobs in June alone as a result of the policies of this government. And we are continuing to take action on many fronts by cutting taxes so that small businesses and family businesses will have the ability to pay better wages to the employees they have and employ more people in their businesses. By enabling 120,000 young Australians to get real work experience through the PaTH program— (Time expired)

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

Senator Wong, a final supplementary question.

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

In the Essential poll published last week, it was shown that a majority of Australians think that economic inequality in this country is increasing. Can the minister explain why it is that the government's response is to tell Australians doing it tough that they're wrong instead of addressing the underlying causes of increasing inequality in this country?

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

Senator Wong, you are wrong. The premises of your question are entirely wrong, because the very thing that this government's policies are doing is to ensure that there are more Australians in work—more Australians with a chance for good jobs and better-paid jobs. And that is what we have done: 60,000 new jobs in one month; 240,000 new jobs in the last financial year; the fastest, the strongest rate of jobs growth since the GFC. You don't seem to be disputing that, Senator Wong.

That is the way to make Australia a country in which everybody can get their fair share of the nation's wealth. That is the way to make sure Australia is a country in which everybody has a fair crack at a good job, at a good wage. That's what we are doing, and we're doing it through the policies—some of which you're trying to hold up here—that incentivise business, employ more people, pay them better wages— (Time expired)