Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week, we saw one of the strongest indications yet that Labor's economic plan is delivering for Australians. Under the Albanese Labor government, unemployment is at near-record lows of just 3.7 per cent. We've seen more jobs created than any other first-term government on record: 790,000 new jobs. I make special mention of my home state of South Australia, where unemployment dropped to 3.2 per cent—the lowest rate recorded in that state. Under Labor, more people are in more jobs. From 1 July this year they will get to keep more of what they earn thanks to our tax plan, a tax plan that gives every worker a tax cut. We know that people have been feeling the cost-of-living pressures and we know that the work is far from over, but we will be doing everything that we possibly can as a government to support workers because that's what Labor governments do.

As well as our cost-of-living measures and job creation, there are some really positive signs that other things are moving in the right direction as well. This comes from the careful, planned, strategic way that we have adjusted the levers on our economy. After significant stagnation under the previous government, we have seen wages growing at an annual average of four per cent, which is double what we saw from those opposite under their disgraceful IR policies. We're also seeing inflation start to moderate, which benefits everyone. Under this government, we're going from strength to strength in just one term. With lower taxes, lower unemployment and more opportunity, Australian workers are much, much better off under a Labor government.