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

the member for Indi. She said that their small-business tax levy is an impost on families. She said: 'It is a small levy on a small number of businesses. I'm assuming businesses will have a cost structure that reflect their costs. So if that modest cost increase directly from the levy is incorporated in their prices then, sure, it is an increase.' She would have to be the only member I have ever seen get booed on the stage during Q&A. That was about the grocery tax that they are going to deliver which will cause the cost of living to increase.

We have seen right across this nation—and I have seen this in my own state of Victoria—that since the Liberal-National parties have come to power they have slugged commuters with fare increases, without delivering on their previous plans to improve public transport.

They have stripped $300 from the household budgets of 100,000 families by axing the school start bonus. At a time when parents need money, when their kids are going to school for the first time, they take the money away. They take it away and what have they delivered? Absolutely nothing.

The report in the Herald Sun today showed just what the LNP think, their big priorities: 'Let's go and see if Victoria has pumas running in the wild.' Fifty thousand jobs are gone. Businesses are closing because 'Premier Faillieu' cannot do anything, and what do they do? 'We're going to go and look for pumas.' It gives you an insight into—you could not say the intelligence of those opposite, but their way of thinking. We also see that they forced up apprenticeship fees by $200 a year by cutting support for apprentices. They cut the school bonuses. They cut the education maintenance allowance for all students, putting schools in the red. That is taking away uniforms, it is taking away equipment and it is taking away excursions.

We have to go back and have a look at how their scare campaign works and how what they say can never, ever be believed. Joe Hockey, the shadow Treasurer, said on 12 March 2008:

I firmly believe we are heading into recession nationally, and this government is taking us down the path at high speed.

That was backed up by the member for Sturt, who said:

… we are definitely—

I should not use a deep voice—

… we are definitely going to be in a recession this year.

That was followed up by Tony Abbott, the Leader of the Opposition, who said:

I think what we're going to get is massive debt and a deep recession.

The great Nick Minchin, the great factional warrior—remember him?—said:

… particularly at a time when the economy is … headed for a recession.

Well, where is it? It never eventuated, because what they say and what is actually happening are two different things. They talk about carbon pricing. I tell you what: these are direct quotes from the member for Warringah. When he talked about the Medicare safety net he said it is not the same as a carbon backflip: 'It's not the same. When I said we wouldn't touch it, I meant that.' But straight after the election he said:

I faced changed circumstances. I made a choice and I'm happy to stand by it.

What we know is that circumstances were changed. They won the election, they won control of the Senate and they thumbed their noses at the Australian public. If you want to talk about untruths, you do not have to look any further than the member for Warringah and what he says.

What about this golden oldie from last year? You can imagine sitting at the Liberal Party's national conference and there is the member for Warringah. He sits there and he says: 'Reithie, mate, I'll look after you, old son. You nominate for the Liberal presidency. I'll look after you. You're the man! I'll do the right thing.' Then he turns to his left and says, 'Stockers, mate, here's my vote.' That is a deliberate untruth. He set up Peter Reith—not that I am complaining about that, but you cannot trust a word that comes out of the opposition leader's mouth. He has never ever stood by what he has said. He admits you cannot believe anything he says unless he writes it down. And then what happens? He writes it down and says, 'Oh, well, I didn't really mean that.' This government has delivered the strongest economy that we have seen. We are the envy of the world and we are going to keep delivering for families and keep your hands off the Australian economy.

See this speech in context