Mal Brough (Longman, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

regardless of where they live in this country over recent years. I acknowledge the Red Cross representatives here today in the gallery and the fine work that they do. There are a number of programs that the Howard government has implemented to help families—quite often families that are struggling. These are programs like Communities for Children, Early Childhood—Invest to Grow and the Raising Children website. That website is a wonderful tool for all parents to be able to get in and see good, practical information about raising their children and overcoming some of the difficulties that those of us in this place who are parents experience and, of course, it provides local answers.

The Communities for Children program is run right around the country in electorates like that of the member for Macarthur; in the electorate of the Opposition Whip, the member for Chifley, in Blacktown; in the electorate of the member for Paterson and in areas like Fairfield. It is run by wonderful organisations such as Mission Australia and the Smith Family amongst others. I visited the electorate of the member for Kingston a few months back and spoke to fathers. They spoke very passionately to me about the relationships that they rebuilt as a result of the connection of local organisations being supported by the Howard government’s initiatives in the Communities for Children program. It is essential that we as a government give as much support as we can to children in their early years from birth to five. Not every parent has the skills that are needed to be able to provide the life experience and the upbringing that is going to ensure that their children will be well-equipped in life. It is these wonderful organisations that we partner with that assist these people to have a better future.

Could I just suggest to the Leader of the Opposition, as he runs his show over the next 24 hours and puts together a team, the importance of families. I reflect on the seismic shift that occurred three years ago within the Labor Party—it is similar to the one that occurred two days ago—and remind him of the brains trust that put together their families and taxation policy that was going to take money from these very families we have referred to today. In that brains trust that wanted to strip money from families were people like the member for Lilley, who I recall thought that was not real money; the member for Fraser, who may make a comeback—he was then the shadow finance minister; the member for Gellibrand, of course, who was then looking after the shadow ministry for women; and the now deputy leader, the member for Lalor. I would hope, as you look towards running your show and you find someone who is able to look after the interests of families on behalf of the opposition, that you take into account those who were ready to stand by a Labor policy to harm Australian families the last time Labor had a leadership change.

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