Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Can the minister advise the Senate of the progress made on the coalition's election promises to help revitalise the Tasmanian economy for the benefit of my fellow Tasmanians?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Abetz, the leader of the Liberal Senate team in Tasmania, for that question. At the end of the Labor-Green minority government, both here in Canberra and in Hobart for that matter, Tasmania was in an economic recession, unable to pay for essential services, including schools and hospitals. Of course, one of the culprits is sitting over there. However, through the hard work of our government, working closely with the highly effective Hodgman Liberal government in Tasmania, things are starting to turn around, and this is not the time to change direction. May I congratulate the Tasmanian Liberal Senate team, a great bunch, for their hard work in service to Tasmania. I hope we will continue to work together—of course, we will continue to work together—to deliver for Tasmanians.

Thanks to the policies of our government in Canberra and the Liberal government in Hobart, the Tasmanian economy has surged ahead, with the unemployment rate falling from 8.1 per cent when Bill Shorten was employment minister to 6.1 per cent today. This means that there are now more than 16,700 additional Tasmanians in work, providing them, their families and the Tasmanian community at large with more opportunities to get ahead. Instead of congratulating the Hodgman government, here is the Labor Party—negativity, negativity, negativity. Business conditions are better in Tasmania today than in any other state—plus 24 index points.

But it is not just Tasmania that is benefiting from the coalition government's policies to encourage jobs and growth. Last year, of course, as Senator Cash was telling us again yesterday, more than 400,000 jobs were created across Australia, with three-quarters of those being full-time jobs. Nationally, the business conditions index jumped by six points to a strong plus 19 index points, well above the long-term average of plus five index points. Job advertisements in Australia increased 6.2 per cent in January to end up 13.8 per cent higher over the past year. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz, a supplementary question.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for that impressive list of achievements. I further ask: can the minister outline the specific policies that have brought about this amazing turnaround in Tasmania's and in fact the nation's fortunes?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Abetz for this important supplementary. This amazing turnaround has been a team effort. Premier Hodgman and his state Liberal government have balanced the Tasmanian state budget and returned it to surplus for the first time in a decade and four years ahead of schedule. That draws a strong contrast with the reckless spending of Tasmanian Labor and the Greens, which all but bankrupted the Tasmanian state, with nothing to show for it.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, one of the culprits is sitting over there, and he's still yelling and screaming. As a federal government, we are committed to making it easier for Tasmanian businesses, and indeed all businesses, to employ more people and pay them better, higher wages. Indeed, that is why we have cut company tax for small- and medium-sized businesses and why we're committed to extending those cuts to all Australian businesses, including some of the nation's largest employers.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz, a final supplementary question.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask the Leader of the Government in the Senate: is there anything that stands in the way of Tasmania being able to raise itself to the next level?

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Opposition senators interjecting—

Order on my left! Senator Polley!

Senator Kim Carr interjecting—

Senator Carr, Senator Wong is on her feet on a point of order.

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

Whilst I'm enjoying Senator Cormann channelling Tasmania, I question the extent to which that final supplementary is in order.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It would be easier for me to ascertain that if I could have heard the question, Senator Wong. I couldn't hear the question.

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

Fair enough.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was constantly calling the chamber to order. Senator Abetz, ask it again so I may rule on the point of order.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I'm delighted to ask the question again. It is as follows: is there anything that stands in the way of Tasmania being able to raise itself to the next level, given the excellent policies that have already been implemented?

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

That's not what you asked, Eric!

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, I could not hear the first question.

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

You can check the Hansard.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, these are matters that I've spoken about extensively in my ministerial capacity and, as such, Senator Abetz is quite entitled to ask me about my assessment of the risks to the great state of Tasmania.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator of Wong, on the point of order raised by Senator Cormann.

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

Mr President, I'm happy for you to look at the Hansard. With respect to my friend Senator Abetz, I think he might have added somewhat to the question the second time around—

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did!

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

which he concedes. I'm happy for you to do that, Mr President. I would say that if the Leader of the Government in the Senate is asserting that because a minister spoke about anything ever we can ask a question without reference to that statement as to public affairs, I would have thought that's a new proposition. I ask you to consider that. It is the case that if ministers make public statements we can ask them about it, but generally the practice in the chamber has been some reference to that statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I found out last week, Hansard can sometimes hear better than I can. I will review it when it comes through. Senator Cormann, addressing the question asked by Senator Abetz.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr President. We want to continue to work with the Hodgman government on projects like the $400 million over 10 years for the Midland Highway; the $38 million towards the Hobart International Airport runway extension; the massive education infrastructure commitment of $150 million to relocate and expand the University of Tasmania; and the city deal with Launceston.

Of course, the risk is that if there were to be a return of a bad Labor-Green government in Tasmania, all of this would be so much more difficult. Tasmania would again be looking at the sort of disastrous economic developments—

Senator Carol Brown interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brown!

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

that we experienced under the previous Labor-Green government.

Senator Carol Brown interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brown!

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our strong advice to the people of Tasmania is that, if you are genuinely interested in the best possible opportunity for Tasmanian families to get ahead, vote for the Hodgman government so that we can continue to work with them in the best interests of the people of Tasmania.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Can I please ask senators that when they are called to order they pause for at least a few seconds before they continue interjecting. We do need to maintain some semblance of decorum so colleagues may hear, including me, so that points of order can be raised.