Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Hansard source

That is exceedingly kind of you, Mr Deputy Speaker. As I return to my remarks concerning the need for more time to discuss these bills—as the motion in front of us is to provide more time—I would point out that there is not sufficient time for the general public to have their point of view considered by way of consideration by the committees that are being established and run concurrently with the debate of these bills; that there is a built-in guillotine, which is lessening the time available; and that at the same time the government comes back and argues that we need more time. That is a conflicting statement, and I think we are perfectly entitled to point that out.

I think I also pointed out earlier that there is no mandate for this tax to be introduced and that people had said, 'We will not have a tax,' and yet it is to be brought in. In the face of that situation we can only compare the way in which, shall we say, change-of-heart legislation was dealt with by previous governments. You can draw the analogy with the GST, where Mr Howard, the then Leader of the Opposition, said there would be no GST but then had a change of heart and went to the people and asked and got a mandate.

We have said again and again in this place that the proper course of action should be for Ms Gillard, the Prime Minister, to go to the people and seek a mandate. But she had chosen not to do that and she has chosen that we will have a certain set time for debate and then the guillotine will apply. And now the Leader of the House has said that he would like some extra hours on Tuesday, when political parties normally meet to discuss business, and he is indicating that there is a need for more time to discuss the bills.

In pointing those things out, it is important for the general public to know that this side of the House is prepared to stand up for them; that this side of the House is prepared to say, 'Your voice is entitled to be heard.' We have also given the people a commitment that, should this guillotine succeed and a vote is taken and the legislation is passed, we will repeal it just as the government repealed Work Choices. We will give that confidence to the Australian people and to Australian business—and, when we see investment increasing, it will because we have given them that guarantee and they can see light at the end of the tunnel.

As I said, when you walk through a shopping centre you see that it is devoid of customers because people are so uncertain and concerned about their disposable income. We definitely need two more hours, and more every day, through to such a time that there has been sufficient debate on the bills for everybody to have had their views heard. If we could see a change of heart in the government to move away from this kangaroo court type committee they have established, and refer these bills to the proper specialist committees, we might get some real reporting back and hear the voices of the people through their proper submissions and the ability of members to ask questions of them and to present their reports for consideration by the government.

When the GST was introduced there was a six-month period where people were able to discuss the actual legislation. We have only just seen this legislation. I go back to the motion moved by the Leader of the House. He is admitting that there is a need for more time and yet will not remove the guillotine. And, of course, their partners in crime, the Greens—who have always been ones to scream loud and clear that they would never have a guillotine; that they would want to see things properly argued through—are in it up to their necks, backing the guillotine so that it can take place not only in this place but in the Senate as well.

When we consider that this cascading and compounding tax will get into the nook and cranny of every aspect of everybody's life, that disposable income will shrink for those on fixed incomes and that the cost of electricity, which impinges on every aspect of civilised life is going to be forced up because of a deal between the Labor Party and the Greens, I can only say that, should this motion be carried, I hope to see many more motions come in extending the length of time that we may debate these matters, because this is of utmost importance to the Australian people.

See this speech in context