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

This is a day of goodwill amongst all of us, as it should be. I am terribly disappointed that the shadow minister would raise quite a spurious, trivial and vexatious point of order. That is just a perfect example of why the federal Labor Party sits in opposition.

I am pleased to speak on the Tax Laws Amendment (2006 Measures No. 1) Bill 2006. Before coming to that, I want to take the opportunity in the parliament as the federal member for Ryan to thank the people of Ryan who placed their faith in me. I have had the great privilege of sharing in two of the four successive election wins of the Howard government. In 2001, I won the seat of Ryan by defeating a sitting Labor member, which I continually remind my colleagues of on this side of the parliament.

This bill is important because it is in the context of Australia’s economic prosperity and good governance on this side of the parliament. I notice in the gallery some young Australians—some students from a school somewhere in this country, I do not know where—wearing yellow T-shirts. I welcome them to their national parliament. It is fantastic that they have the opportunity to come and visit their parliament. This is a chamber of democracy, and democracy has been very much in operation over the last four years, when the people placed their faith in the Howard government. Why have people placed their faith in the Howard government? It is because they have confidence that the Prime Minister and his team have the capacity to govern in the people’s interests.

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