Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Dawson for his contribution. I think he does well as a star trekker and perhaps that is the standard of debate those opposite want to bring to this House. With respect to something as serious as the federal budget, no wonder he wants to be beamed up.

Tonight is very serious. Tonight we are going to bring down a budget. Tonight it is very important for Australian people that this budget moves back into surplus. Madam Acting Deputy Speaker D'Ath, you know my electorate of Fowler. I have the most multicultural electorate in the whole of Australia. I also have a very disadvantaged electorate. My electorate is well and truly in the mortgage belt. The thing that matters to my constituents is putting downward pressure on interest rates, not watching Star Trek. Maybe they cannot afford to get the reruns put on their satellite systems, unlike the member for Dawson. Bringing the budget to surplus will put downward pressure on interest rates.

It is all very well to be lectured by this mob opposite who presided over eight consecutive increases in interest rates. They were there and they saw the interest rates go through the roof. They were there when people in my electorate were losing their houses. This is the mob that presided over the mortgage stress in this country. They want to lecture us on fiscal discipline. Tonight's budget will also, in addition to going back into surplus, make landmark reforms, particularly in aged care.

When we first came to power we were the first government in 12 years to increase the age pension and the disability support pension. They did not just not do it; they took a decision against their minister to not increase pensions over the 10-year period they were in government. So do not lecture us on looking after older Australians or on looking after Australians on disability pensions. We will bring the National Disability Insurance Scheme forward, which will be revolutionary. I am sure members opposite that represent people, as I do, with disabilities will know the significance of that. In electorates such as mine, people have been have been left behind with acute dental issues leading to health issues. This is very big and something those opposite had the opportunity to fix and never did.

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