Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

They cannot wait to get to the halls of power to do the first thing they always do, and all Australians know it, and that is to just start sacking people. How do you support an economy by just getting rid of people? It is a tragedy in this place. But when we recently heard some of the contributions to this debate I thought I had better listen to what the other side says, to make sure I get a grasp or a grip on what their argument is.

Their argument amounted to this, and I will summarise it. You start with a tax. You attack government department names: 'What a silly name for a government department.' I think the shadow Treasurer spent two minutes talking about silly names. That was his contribution to an economic debate. Then they attacked small business by saying: 'What a waste of money, to give it to small businesses that do things for other people. As long as it’s a small business related to climate change or anything that might be good for sustainability or the future, attack them. They're not worthy of being called a small business.'

Then they talked about flowers. The member for North Sydney spent a minute talking about flowers and the great waste. Then they went to their pet subject, their favourite topic at all times—that is, sacking people. They think this government spends too much money employing people.

Opposition members interjecting—

They go, 'Where's the money coming from?' This is all that is left. I will tell you where it is coming from and I will tell you where we have saved it, because I have already done some of that. And I will tell you where it will not go. It will not go to Liberal Party mates and to National Party mates, as under the previous Howard government. We saw enormous trunks of wasted money going to—if you want to talk about far-Left airy-fairy stuff—Liberal and National party mates. So it is clear in this place that after five years and more than two years since the last election we have done a good job to support jobs and the economy, and it is proven by the— (Time expired)

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