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

This bill is about taxation. This bill is about economic management. Of course I am entitled to talk about the government’s record, because that is why the people of Australia voted for us. For the life of me I cannot understand why the shadow minister would contest my right to speak on the bill and to draw into that my comments about economic governance and credibility. If people are listening to this debate today, the two interventions that I have had from the shadow minister would quite clearly demonstrate to them the lack of focus by the opposition on matters of economics.

The bottom line is that the people of Australia vote for a government to ensure that that government takes into account their interests, including taxation. I will come to the relevance of this bill in a minute. Part of my presentation here in the parliament is to talk about the qualities that have made this government very successful, because those qualities are reflected in policy. They are reflected in legislation.

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