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

It is funny you mention that, Member for Wannon. He had not heard that before. The member for McEwen did raise the topic of trust. What Australian families do not expect is for us to make their lives harder, and that is the very essence of the matter of public importance before us today.

Mr Mitchell interjecting—

The member for McEwen wants to bring up the GST. There is a significant difference between the GST and the carbon tax, and I acknowledge that the former Prime Minister did change his mind after an election. The former Prime Minister changed his mind and took it to the Australian people and gave them a chance to vote. He had the guts. He had the courage of his convictions. He went back to the Australian people and said: 'What do you think, Australian people? Would you like the GST?' And they voted for him. Have we had any other Prime Minister do anything like that? Let me think. 'No carbon tax under a government I lead. I rule out a carbon tax.' That was before the election. After the election: 'I changed my mind. Do I go back and get a mandate? No, I won't get a mandate. I'll just scurry around and do deals with the Greens.'

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