Senator REYNOLDS (Western Australia) (15:21): I too rise in very strong support of the Attorney-General and his responses to what I have to say were probably the worst questions I have heard from the Labor Party—and that is saying something—in their desperate attempt to find absolutely anything they can to try and criticise this government about. Again, we have just heard from Senator Bilyk half-truths and complete, bold-faced lies about the government’s record.

Now, after the last six years in government, I am not surprised that those opposite really cannot recognise what success in government policy looks like, because it was a complete and utter failure of government policy and implementation. All they were good at was raising more money, spending the money that we had, and leaving a legacy of intergenerational debt.

So, if those opposite really have not got any idea what good policy and good policy achievement and implementation looks like—if you slept through the last three years in this chamber and all the legislation that has gone through, and the stuff that you have blocked—you can either google some of it or I will just give you some idea of what we on this side think good government policy looks like.

First of all, in the last 12 months alone, 220,000 new jobs were created in this country and around about 60 per cent of those were women. You might not like that fact but it is great for this country. On this side, new jobs are absolutely a success. Consumer confidence—

Senator Bilyk interjecting—

Senator REYNOLDS: If you do not recognise success, let’s have a look at others in the community and other indices that clearly do recognise success. For example, consumer confidence is eight per cent higher than in September last year. Exports rose 1.3 per cent, to be nearly 10 per cent higher over the last 12 months. In fact, exports are now the strongest in 16 years in this nation. That is good news and that is success. What else have we got? Household consumption is up 2.9 per cent, which is the same time as last year. Housing dwelling investments are up 8.3 per cent over the past year. Business conditions and business confidence is up seven points, which is well over the long-term average. Business confidence is back to the long-run average of plus-six points. And, as the Attorney rightly pointed out, our real GDP is 3.3 per cent higher than 12 months ago.

Growth is faster than every G7 country.

Senator Bilyk interjecting—

Senator REYNOLDS: You might hate it and you might sit there and argue—as you did in some of your questions—about semantics, but it does not change that real GDP, which is something most other nations, and particularly most OECD nations, can only dream of at the moment. So, for me and for people on this side of politics, that is what success looks like. It looks like implementing policies that grow the economy and that actually create new jobs.

So what else has this government done that those opposite seem to be blind to over the last 12 months and in fact the last three years? We have created an innovation and science agenda to help create the jobs of the future, and clearly that is already working. That is absolutely—

Senator Bilyk interjecting—

Senator REYNOLDS: Senator Bilyk, just come to Western Australia and see the new innovation and the new industries that we are creating. That means jobs, and more money for states like Tasmania, which seems to think that it needs much more share of the GST than we do—and when we generate the money. So come to Western Australia and see what the new Defence policy, the Defence white paper and the Defence industry program are delivering for Australia. Those on the opposite side built not a single ship in six years. You did not commission a single domestic-built ship. We are now completely rebuilding our fleet, and we are doing so many other things for Defence industry.

Again, Senator Bilyk, if you want to see what actual hard work looks like in innovation and industry, take it back to Tasmania, come to Western Australia and see what we are doing. That is great news.

Senator Bilyk interjecting—

Senator REYNOLDS: We—unlike you, who put over 2,000 children into detention, under your border protection policies—have released every single one of them. Under you, 1,200-plus or more people died at sea. Under us, it has stopped, and not a single person is dying anymore at sea; 50,000 people flooded our borders illegally, not by boat—no more, Senator Bilyk.

We have also signed the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which is already showing great results in increasing trade, which means more money and more jobs for Australians all around the country. That is success. (Time expired)