Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Regional Transport) Share this | Hansard source

Finally, someone has spoken up and referenced the fifties. In the fifties, the power station workers in the Latrobe Valley had a job, and you are going to take it away from them. Your government is prepared to take away the power station workers' jobs in the Latrobe Valley under its Contract for Closure scheme. I invite the member opposite to stand up and explain to me how she is going to stop that. Quite clearly, there is no interest among members opposite to actually stop the carbon tax and the Contract for Closure scheme and the way that it will cascade through regional economies like a toxic waterfall.

This carbon tax will take money out of households, which means there will be less money available to be spent in regional businesses. In essence, it is a blight on the Australian community that this government is inflicting upon households, businesses and heavy industry at a time when we can least afford it.

Just after the Prime Minister's treacherous disposal of the member for Griffith in 2010, she fronted the Australian public and said, 'There will be some days I delight you and there may be some days I disappoint you.' I have a tremendous view of the Labor party backbench from where I sit, and I am not seeing a lot of smiling faces. I am not seeing a lot of delight. In fact, I see a lot of disappointment written all over their faces. But this carbon tax is not about them. It is about the power station workers I just spoke about. It is about honest, hardworking men and women who just want to earn a reasonable pay and look after their families. It is about businesses and industry leaders who want to stay competitive and export their products around the world without being handicapped in the race by a tax that none of their competitors will pay.

I say to the Prime Minister: all we have seen is disappointment. You have not delighted anyone in the Latrobe Valley. So why won't you not dump this tax before Australians really start to get hurt? The question that the people of the Latrobe Valley are asking this Prime Minister is: why are you making it harder for businesses to make a quid? Why are you making it harder for businesses to compete on world markets? And why are you making it harder for businesses to employ people, develop new skills and invest in the future of the our nation? It is no wonder that the Australian people have lost confidence in this Prime Minister. (Time expired)

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