Michael Johnson (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Australian public have just heard a complete diatribe—absolute claptrap—from the shadow minister over there. He is paid to represent an electorate with good representation. All he has been able to do is focus on completely irrelevant matters not relating to these bills. This debate is about Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2005-2006 and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2005-2006. These bills are about the funding of the Commonwealth government and I am pleased to speak on them in a more substantive manner.

The scope and originality of these bills range across whole areas of Commonwealth government: mental health, drought assistance, bolstering our defence commitments and preserving Tasmanian forests. All these areas demonstrate that the Howard government is absolutely focused and committed to representing the people of Australia. That is why in October 2004 the people of Australia—and, in my case, as the federal member for Ryan—overwhelmingly re-elected the Howard government. At the past four elections the people of Australia have re-elected a coalition government. They have done so without equivocation. They have invested in their future; they have invested in the future of their children and of their grandchildren.

We saw no other reason why they did that than what we saw just a few minutes ago, because all we had from the shadow minister were words of complete irrelevance to the people of Australia. There was nothing about interest rates, nothing about mortgages, nothing about education and nothing about the quality of the health system. In particular, I remind any Queenslanders who might be listening that the shadow minister is not at all interested in the health of your family, your relatives and your friends—not one iota of interest from the shadow minister; not one skerrick of interest from the shadow minister, from his colleagues or indeed from the Labor Party opposition. Whereas, we on this side of the parliament are very focused and very committed and are keeping our eyes on the ball. That is why we have been re-elected. That is why the people of Australia have reinvested heavily in this government.

Since 1996 the coalition government has concentrated on delivering very real and very practical benefits for the overwhelming majority of Australians. One of the major issues has been national security. But, critically, the economy and the creation of jobs are all issues that have been at the heart and soul of why this government has been re-elected—strong leadership, focused leadership, a united government, a united coalition. Over the past 10 years some 1.7 million-plus new jobs have been created, most of them full time. Australia’s unemployment rate today sits at a record low level. We have a 30-year record low level of unemployment, something that would have been unimaginable during the Hawke-Keating years. There has been a huge improvement from the 10½ to 11 per cent unemployment we had when the current Leader of the Opposition was the relevant minister for employment—or, as we all know, the relevant minister for unemployment.

The Howard government will be celebrating 10 years in office in early March. One reason why we will be doing that is that, as I have alluded to, the people of Australia overwhelmingly re-elected the Howard government and gave us a majority in the Senate. One reason why they did so was that the alternative was unpalatable. Can the Australian people for just one moment imagine what it would have been like had the former member for Werriwa, the former Leader of the Opposition, become the Prime Minister of this country? As the Treasurer touched on in question time the other day, if he can damage a camera and smash it to pieces, what would he have done to interest rates in this country? What would he have done to the reputation and the integrity of this country? What would he have done to the stability of the US alliance? That is something that all of us on this side of the House know he has absolutely little concern for.

Those on his own side of politics now rue the fact that they elected him. I am not sure if the shadow minister at the table, the member for Barton, cast his vote in favour of the former Leader of the Opposition or the current Leader of the Opposition. Who knows? I am sure he has given it a lot of thought since. I suspect that he was very weak in his deliberations and turned his focus to the former member for Werriwa, Mr Latham. (Quorum formed) Once again we have a federal Labor member turning his attention to distracting the parliament and distracting coalition members when they are speaking on important policy matters. If only Labor members decided to focus on policy, they might just win an extra seat or two. But I doubt it very much, because all they are interested in is party infighting and challenging shadow ministers.

I turn my attention now, since an opposition member kindly reminded me of this, to the former leader of the federal Labor Party and his contribution to this parliament. I want to turn the House’s attention, and indeed that of the public, to some of the fine words of wisdom from the former Leader of the Opposition. On page 186 of his book, where he talks about the contribution of the unions—

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