PM urges confidence, but…

Julia Gillard is urging Australians to be optimistic, declaring “our economy is really among the best in the world.”

In an article published just hours before her economic forum opened in Brisbane, the Prime Minister said an understanding of that had been “growing” over the past week

“Of course there are still some doomsayers,” the Prime Minister said.

“ But as the saying goes, you can choose your own opinion, but you can’t choose your own facts.

“So these are the facts.

“ Our economy has grown by 4.3 per cent in the last year and created 39,000 jobs in the last month,” Ms Gillard said.

However, other signals suggest that the Prime Minister will have to work hard, to get her message across effectively, at the forum.

The conservative Premiers of Western Australia, Colin Barnett his Queensland counterpart, Campbell Newman, have refused Ms Gillard’s invitation to attend and the NSW Premier, Barry O’Farrell,  also says he is too busy with his budget, to go.

And the National Australia Bank’s business survey, released on the eve of the Forum, showed that readings of business conditions in Australia to be the “weakest” seen in three years.

Even the star performer, mining, was said to be “down sharply.”

“Business confidence deteriorated sharply in May, with businesses now expecting weaker near term activity…” the bank reported.

The NAB said confidence had faltered on global Greek exit fears, weak orders and negative reaction to the May budget.