It is a great privilege and exciting responsibility to be taking on the role of Treasurer and I thank the Prime Minister for putting his confidence in me.
As the Prime Minister has made clear it is the Government's goal to foster an adaptive, agile and growing economy - an economy that is trading, competitive and innovative.
Our ambition is to ignite Australia's and Australian's economic aspiration to drive the confidence that is necessary to underpin growth. Central to this confidence is jobs.
We will back the ability of Australians to work hard to adapt to change and make the most of their opportunities and for our businesses to go out into the world and win.
More than 300,000 jobs have been established since the Coalition was elected. This record of jobs growth must be continued and improved upon.
Our responsibility is to provide economic opportunity and security for Australian families and to deliver the stability, certainty and consistency that Australians need to plan for their future with confidence.
And it is our duty to taxpayers to soberly manage our public finances. Our taxpayer resources must be put to best use, our deficit must continue to be steadily reduced and the debt burden on future generations must continue to be brought under control.
A growing, economy provides jobs and financial security and ensures support is provided to those most in need.
In the days and weeks ahead I will be bringing my team together, taking briefings and consulting widely. There is also the need to move forward with MYEFO and the Government's response to the various inquiries and projects such as the Tax White Paper that are on foot.
My intention is to take the same deliberate, conscientious and methodical approach to these issues as I have applied in previous roles and I will make further statements when we are in a position to do so.
I acknowledge the work and dedication of Joe Hockey and wish he, his wife Melissa and his family all the very best for their future.
Joe's leadership of the G20 culminating in his introduction of the multinationals tax package during the past week, his instigation of the asset recycling fund and associated infrastructure works, delivery of the Jobs and Small Business package and his Treasurership being the turning point in our public finances including the $3.3 billion improvement in the 2014-15 Final Budget Outcome, are a strong and worthy legacy.