Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, Kim Beazley did get an overseas appointment. But during Labor's time in government 18 members of the Liberal and National parties were appointed to overseas positions, whereas this government is pulling people back from overseas and getting involved in partisan politics. That is not the way to deal with these appointments.

It looks like pensioners are under attack and Medicare is under attack. Families have lost the Schoolkids Bonus. We are having the Commission of Audit, which is really a commission of cuts. There is talk of attacks on welfare, attacks on basic health services, attacks on education and attacks on families. Of course, there are attacks on unions—spin and cover-up. Australia's international reputation has been significantly affected by our relationship with Indonesia and some of the overseas appearances by the Prime Minister. Add to that Manus Island. What has happened on Manus Island and the cover-up of it are absolutely appalling. I think it is time for the minister to stand up and take some responsibility instead of covering up and just trying to spin his way out of trouble. It is not what a government should be doing.

This is a government of ideologues that is driven by a desire to implement an ultraconservative agenda which will lead to social and economic inequities. It wants to cut taxes and cut welfare. It is going to have an enormous impact on Australia as a nation. We need to be a globally competitive nation with an educated workforce. We are a country that can share the wealth with everybody. It does not have to be a country where one group of people have everything and another group of people do not. We need in Australia an inclusive society. Everybody should enjoy the wealth of this country. I call on the government to pursue that.

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