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

Don't start—there has been a little bit of encouragement from the member for McEwen! The very nature of the carbon tax—and of the matter of public importance—is that it is meant to be punitive. It has to hurt to work. If it does not hurt, it does not change people's practice, it does not change their consumption of electricity and it does not change their consumption of other goods—if it does not hurt, it does not work. And the Leader of the Opposition is right when he says: 'Every time electricity prices go up, the Prime Minister smiles.' The Prime Minister likes it when prices go up because that is her carbon tax at work—that is what it is meant to do. If it does not hurt, it does not work.

If you do not believe me, look at the comments earlier this year from the Salvation Army when they polled over 1,700 of their clients. Along with pointing out a whole list of things that people on fixed and low incomes were struggling with, Major Bruce Harmer said:

The increased cost of living has clearly meant larger numbers of Australians are now struggling to keep up with rising utility bills. Many are going without things we take for granted like nutritious food or a warm bed. Many are questioning how they will get through the winter months with what appears to be a never ending increase in the cost of living.

He goes on to say:

The ever rising cost of utilities, motor vehicle expenses and running costs, food, medical expenses, etc. is intensifying the struggle and they wonder where it will end.

There is only one place it can end. It can end with the Labor Party getting rid of this Prime Minister, or with the Australian people finally getting the chance to do that in about a year's time. There is not a single problem in this country that cannot be improved with a better government. I take up the comment made by the Leader of the Opposition in his address today—a better government can start working to fix some of the problems that are being faced by families right across our nation.

I have a simple question that I have put to members opposite many times over the last 12 months when they have stood up and said: 'Oh the electricity prices are going up for a range of other reasons. The reason manufacturing is suffering at the moment is because of the high dollar.' I come back to them and ask them just one question: why make it harder? Why make it harder for Australian families? Why make it harder for Australian manufacturers? And the answer I get is the same answer I am getting now: complete silence—not a word. They have no explanation for why it is a good idea to make things harder for Australian people at an already difficult time. They have not a single answer as to why we should make it harder for Australian manufacturers to compete in very difficult world markets. They have no explanation as to why we should make it harder for families struggling with the cost of living—not a single explanation as to why we should make it harder. If the carbon tax is such a good idea, why not double it? If it is so good for Australia, double it! Why don't you double it?

See this speech in context