Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is no surprise that today the opposition have come in and started their new fear campaign. It is interesting that today, for the first time in question time, they did not ask about carbon pricing. And that is because their fear campaign on that issue has run out of steam. It has run out of steam and now they are casting their minds to the next fear campaign: 'What can we now scare the Australian people senseless about?' That is exactly what they are doing now: talking down our economy and putting concern out there, when really our economic fundamentals are very good in this country. Believe it or not, the opposition refuses to acknowledge that. They think, 'We did not succeed in scaring people out the carbon price, so we will move on now and scare people about the economy.'

I think it is important to get the facts on the table. I have to say that there seems to be an ability by the opposition to completely ignore the existence of a global financial crisis that this government faces. I know that those on the opposite side of the chamber are becoming protectionists. I imagine that the member for Casey and the member for Higgins would be concerned about the protectionist elements, but the member for Cowper is probably cheering for them on the sidelines. The opposition are becoming protectionists, but that should not stop them from looking—

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