10 September 1992
E & O E PROOF COPY1
Journalist: 11.4 per cent unemplymcnt.
PM: It s a very diappointing figure, very disappointing and the only light we can see on that horizon is the Increw in vacancies which seems to be going on now quitc inexorably around the country. But the figures are volatile we had unemployment rising by one per cent in Queensland in a month and falling one per cent in Western Australia in a month , and obviousl that's not happened.
Journalist: The aggregate figure is still going up isn't it?
PM. But the aggregates are going up and they are notgoing to tum down unil the growth weve got now does accelerate.
Journalist: Do you think that you have missed an opportunity by not going early to an election? You've let the Coalition off the hook.
PM: No, no, the Coalition... just imagine, whatever probloma we've got today with unemplotnant, what would we have if ther was a 15 per cent tax on everything or a $7 billion cut to the Budget. They have got no policy prescriptions and what John Hewson's proven this week is they dom'l even have courage in the one they believed in.
Journalist: But they've got flexbility.
PM: Thy got fright that's it, they have taken fright, that's what has happened to them.
ENDS