QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Mr TED O'BRIEN (Fairfax—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:30): My question goes to the Treasurer. Under Labor there have been 12 interest rate increases, inflation remains too high, there has been a five per cent productivity collapse, there is a household recession and we see the fastest fall in living standards on record. Yet the Treasurer has boasted about the unemployment rate.

What does the Treasurer tell the Australian people now that the unemployment rate has spiked to its highest level in almost three years?