❓ Question regarding WA's job creation figures compared to the rest of the nation, given national and international economic headwinds. The Treasurer highlights WA's strong job growth and criticises the opposition's negativity.
AnsweredQoN 1054Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE ECONOMY — JOB CREATION
1054. Mr M. HUGHES to the Treasurer:
I refer to today's
Australian Bureau of Statistics job figures, which show that over 6 000 jobs
were created in Western Australia last month. In the light of the national and
international headwinds for the economy, can the Treasurer update the house on how Western Australia compares with the
rest of the nation when it comes to job creation?
1054. Mr M. HUGHES to the Treasurer:
I refer to today's
Australian Bureau of Statistics job figures, which show that over 6 000 jobs
were created in Western Australia last month. In the light of the national and
international headwinds for the economy, can the Treasurer update the house on how Western Australia compares with the
rest of the nation when it comes to job creation?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Kalamunda for that very good question.
Suffice to say, I think the national figures have been somewhat disappointing.
By and large, there was an expectation of employment and jobs growth, yet we
saw a national decline of some 19 000 jobs. That is not good. Regardless of the
fact that my political opponents are in power nationally, I want to see them
presiding over the creation of jobs in this nation. However, usefully for Western
Australia, we are slowly returning to the position of leading the nation again.
We have the strongest monthly jobs growth in the country.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Bateman seems to prefer
an environment in which Liberals are in power but jobs are being lost over one
in which Labor is in power and jobs are being created. It is a disturbing
thing. As I said, I want Josh Frydenberg to preside over a national economy in
which Australians can work.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Bateman, you have had your
opportunity to ask a question.
Mr B.S. WYATT : That is what I want. I also want an
economy in which Australians who want to increase their hours can work. I think
that the member for Bateman should get onboard the fact that the WA Labor
government is also very keen to create jobs.
In October, WA had the strongest monthly jobs growth in the country. Some 6 000 jobs were created in October. I pointed out last time we sat, this is
against some pretty significant national and international headwinds. We have
seen the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank et cetera revise down
expected economic growth for 2019–20. We are not immune from that and
that will have an impact on us as well. One of the main reasons that we have
spent so much time and effort getting our finances back on track is to ensure
that we can respond to emerging pressures as we see them. We have had a range
of those announcements over the past six or so weeks. I am pleased that here we
are, despite, as I have said, the monthly Australian Bureau of Statistics data
that is infuriatingly volatile. Also, it backcast and changed previous numbers.
But what is clear, on a seasonally adjusted trend—I notice occasionally
the opposition likes to refer to ''trend''—both are much
better than they were at the time of the election. In the last two and a half,
nearly three, years, 56 000 jobs have been created as opposed to —
Mr D.C. Nalder : How many part time?
Mr B.S. WYATT : Just by way of an aside, I remind the
house of this, because the member for Bateman has a memory of a goldfish: when
I became Treasurer, full-time jobs were declining at about four per cent
annually. They are now growing at about two per cent annually. I know he does
not like that because he prefers Liberals in power and jobs being lost, rather
than Labor in power and jobs being created. We have had 56 000 jobs created. We
now have full-time jobs ticking along at two per cent. I want it higher, but,
as I said, it is better than the four per cent decline that we saw at the
election when the member for Bateman was on the back benches, after he was
kicked out of the cabinet. In the last 12 months of the former government, 16 000
jobs were shed from the WA economy. This is a good sign. The member for Bateman
and the opposition should celebrate the fact that Western Australians are able
to find work again. We are seeing that people who want to find more hours at
work are also able to do so. Why is that? It
is because as the Premier said on Tuesday, we have the most confident
businesses in the country and the second-best business conditions in the
country. This is a good outcome when states such as New South Wales and
Victoria are seeing unemployment numbers spike. We are seeing it steady and we
are seeing another 6 000 Western Australians move into employment. I say to the
Liberal Party that sometimes it has to get out of the naggy critique that it
does on every single thing and celebrate when Western Australia is successful.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Wanneroo, I call you to order
for the first time.
Suffice to say, I think the national figures have been somewhat disappointing.
By and large, there was an expectation of employment and jobs growth, yet we
saw a national decline of some 19 000 jobs. That is not good. Regardless of the
fact that my political opponents are in power nationally, I want to see them
presiding over the creation of jobs in this nation. However, usefully for Western
Australia, we are slowly returning to the position of leading the nation again.
We have the strongest monthly jobs growth in the country.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Mr B.S. WYATT : The member for Bateman seems to prefer
an environment in which Liberals are in power but jobs are being lost over one
in which Labor is in power and jobs are being created. It is a disturbing
thing. As I said, I want Josh Frydenberg to preside over a national economy in
which Australians can work.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Bateman, you have had your
opportunity to ask a question.
Mr B.S. WYATT : That is what I want. I also want an
economy in which Australians who want to increase their hours can work. I think
that the member for Bateman should get onboard the fact that the WA Labor
government is also very keen to create jobs.
In October, WA had the strongest monthly jobs growth in the country. Some 6 000 jobs were created in October. I pointed out last time we sat, this is
against some pretty significant national and international headwinds. We have
seen the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank et cetera revise down
expected economic growth for 2019–20. We are not immune from that and
that will have an impact on us as well. One of the main reasons that we have
spent so much time and effort getting our finances back on track is to ensure
that we can respond to emerging pressures as we see them. We have had a range
of those announcements over the past six or so weeks. I am pleased that here we
are, despite, as I have said, the monthly Australian Bureau of Statistics data
that is infuriatingly volatile. Also, it backcast and changed previous numbers.
But what is clear, on a seasonally adjusted trend—I notice occasionally
the opposition likes to refer to ''trend''—both are much
better than they were at the time of the election. In the last two and a half,
nearly three, years, 56 000 jobs have been created as opposed to —
Mr D.C. Nalder : How many part time?
Mr B.S. WYATT : Just by way of an aside, I remind the
house of this, because the member for Bateman has a memory of a goldfish: when
I became Treasurer, full-time jobs were declining at about four per cent
annually. They are now growing at about two per cent annually. I know he does
not like that because he prefers Liberals in power and jobs being lost, rather
than Labor in power and jobs being created. We have had 56 000 jobs created. We
now have full-time jobs ticking along at two per cent. I want it higher, but,
as I said, it is better than the four per cent decline that we saw at the
election when the member for Bateman was on the back benches, after he was
kicked out of the cabinet. In the last 12 months of the former government, 16 000
jobs were shed from the WA economy. This is a good sign. The member for Bateman
and the opposition should celebrate the fact that Western Australians are able
to find work again. We are seeing that people who want to find more hours at
work are also able to do so. Why is that? It
is because as the Premier said on Tuesday, we have the most confident
businesses in the country and the second-best business conditions in the
country. This is a good outcome when states such as New South Wales and
Victoria are seeing unemployment numbers spike. We are seeing it steady and we
are seeing another 6 000 Western Australians move into employment. I say to the
Liberal Party that sometimes it has to get out of the naggy critique that it
does on every single thing and celebrate when Western Australia is successful.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Wanneroo, I call you to order
for the first time.
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