Ms CLAYDON (Newcastle) (16:07): I rise to join with my Labor colleagues in drawing the House's attention to the unfair nature of this government's budget and the absolute damage it is doing to the Australian economy. There is only one member opposite who has actually nailed this, but they are not actually present today and that was the member who, when this budget first came down, had the courage to call this budget what it is— This stinking, rotting carcass around this government's neck. It has been that since day 1 and they can't shake that smell—they can't get rid of it. They have shaken it every which way, but nothing helps. It is the Australian public that knows exactly—they have your measure on what this budget is like. The people of Newcastle know full well what this budget is doing. There is so much evidence to show, contrary to the bluster from members opposite—the busting of business confidence, the plummeting of consumer confidence post-budget. This so-called adrenalin charge is astonishing—I mean: the battery ran out sometime ago; I don't know where it has gone; but it is just spluttering along at some terrible pace behind. For people in my electorate this budget is making it harder and harder to get a job. Since this budget came down there are more than 40,000 Australians who have joined the job queue—sending the unemployment rates to the highest level since 1997. Mr Pasin interjecting— The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Barker. Ms CLAYDON: Since this budget came down in my electorate of Newcastle the unemployment rate has nearly doubled, moving from 4.7 to eight per cent. Thousands of people in my electorate have lost their jobs since this government was elected—workers at Arrium, the Hunter TAFE, WesTrac, Pacific National, QantasLink and Sandvik, just to name a few, have lost their jobs. What about this week, Mr Deputy Speaker, and the cuts that were never going to happen—the cuts to the ABC. Remember? Now we have the farcical situation where members opposite are lying about the lies. We have petitions from government members— Mr Keenan: On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. The member is aware that that is unparliamentary and she is required to withdraw. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I think you will note that on both sides that has been used quite frequently in the last few days and so it is not a point of order. Ms CLAYDON: The cuts to the ABC which have been so devastating in my community of Newcastle—1233 Newcastle has lost more than a third of their staff this week. Members opposite, where were you when the Commission of Audit was coming down? Were you warning about these job losses from the ABC? Not a peep from members opposite! Where were you when the budget was being debated in this chamber? Were you worrying about jobs in regional Australia? There was not a peep—nothing from you guys whatsoever. These are real jobs in my community, and people are really hurting. There are people grieving for their work— Mr Whiteley: On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I was wondering if the member could clarify how much the Labor party intends to put back into the ABC budget. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Ms CLAYDON: Those opposite own their own budget and their own stinking, rotting carcass. They need to take a little bit of responsibility for what they are doing in government, because the people of Newcastle have their measure. They know what you are up to. In addition to the job losses at the ABC, workers in the shipbuilding industry at Forgacs still face an uncertain future, because this government could not bring themselves to bring forward some contracts for supply ships that might be tendered out to Australian manufacturers. No, oh no. Remember the lies we had? The lie about no capacity in Australia to build these ships—it was another lie. If this government continues down this current path and locks Forgacs and other shipbuilders will be out of multibillion contracts, then it is going to mean that everyone is out of work. (Time expired)