Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure to follow the member for Brisbane, who reminds us that it was a Liberal government that reduced the feed-in tariff to families and households—please do not walk out until I am finished, because you will love this—from 32c to 8c. You have actually ripped the guts out of it. Just for the record, I want to clear this up. I know she did not mean to deliberately mislead the House, but Queensland does not have daylight savings. You said they did. You might just want to find out where you live, mate. It is unbelievable.

I tell you what: the biggest joke was the cuts in health insurance that she talked about. What she is saying clearly is that every working family should be subsidising her health insurance, my health insurance and that of everyone else in here. That is an absolute joke.

Mr Dutton interjecting—

Don't you talk, mate. The shadow minister at the table interjects because he has not asked a question all term of the health minister. That is why he has the hashtag 'world's laziest shadow'—because he does not do anything.

Our economy is very strong because this government put in a fiscal policy that has kept us out of recession and kept us the envy of the world. We are the envy of the world because what our government has done is give assistance. We have had the biggest pension increase to pensioners we have seen. It was not under your government—in 11 years there was not a thing. You are running behind. You talk about social housing. There can be nothing clearer than the hatred of old people by those opposite when you listen to Campbell Newman saying, 'Don't live on your own. You should all get into a communal home. You should all be locked down in a little dog box together.' That is what they want. It is absolutely amazing when you listen to those opposite whinge and whine and carp, and they come up with nothing.

The simple facts are that since we have come to office we have created 100,000 jobs. Since we have had Liberal or LNP—or whatever they are calling themselves this week—premiers in different states we have seen job after job being slashed. In my home state of Victoria, over 50,000 jobs have gone. How does that help people with the cost of living?

Mr Tehan interjecting—

The mumbler for Wannon over there was out there supporting Premier Baillieu as he cut the pensioners' winter concession on power and electricity bills. He smiles and he laughs; he thinks it is fun. But it just shows that he is a heartless, empty shell. He is a very empty shell.

Mr Tehan interjecting—

See this speech in context