Tony Abbott Pledges 1m Jobs In Five Years

27 Nov 2012

TONY Abbott has sought to counter claims he has no positive vision for the country in a final party room briefing for the year, vowing to create one million jobs in the first five years of a Coalition government.

Addressing opposition MPs this morning Mr Abbott said it was the Coalition's job to convince the electorate "to vote for us not simply to vote against someone else" at the next election.

Mr Abbott said the Coalition would begin releasing the detail of its policies early in the New Year and pledged to secure one million new jobs over the first five years of government, and two million over the next decade if elected.

"This is the last joint party meeting of the year and as the parliamentary year closes it's important to recommit ourselves to our great purpose, which is to build a better life for the Australian people, to build a better life for the forgotten families of this country," Mr Abbott said.

"Our positive plan is to deliver a strong, prosperous economy and a safe and secure Australia."

Mr Abbott said the Coalition had been working hard over the past three years and was ready to go to the 2013 election with a positive plan.

Under a Coalition government, economic reform would start with getting rid of unnecessary taxes - such as the carbon and mining taxes - and removing $1 billion a year of business red tape, Mr Abbott said.

"If we can do what we have pledged to the Australian people that we will strive to deliver and I am so confident that we can we will deliver a million new jobs over five years, two million new jobs over a decade," Mr Abbott said.

A spokesman for Treasurer Wayne Swan said: "It's absolutely laughable hearing Tony Abbott pledge job growth when his shadow treasurer (Joe Hockey) has announced a $70 billion budget crater and the only jobs strategy he has articulated has been the slashing of jobs by (Queensland Premier) Campbell Newman and (NSW Premier) Barry O'Farrell."

"In contrast to Mr Abbott's aggressive negativity, the government's jobs record speaks for itself. More than 800,000 jobs have been created in Australia since Labor came to government, compared with millions of jobs lost around the world."

Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/tony-abbott-pledges-1m-jobs-in-five-years/story-fn59niix-1226524826214