Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

That is what they are telling me. The families are saying that their children will not be able to access university so I hope those on the other side of the chamber are happy with that. That is what they have done to them. They have taken away their hopes of getting a university education because the fees have been restructured.

There are so many families from my electorate that are very concerned. There are broad based cuts as well. Let's have a look at some of the cuts to councils and their financial assistance grants. In terms of those financial assistance grants over $20 million has been cut from councils from Bellingen to the New South Wales-Queensland border. So they will not be able to move forward on many of the projects they wanted to have.

If you look at regional areas right across the country you will see that this is a cruel, nasty and unfair budget. It is unfair on seniors, families and young people. It is based on the broken promises by each of those members on the other side of the chamber. I say to all those Nationals members from regional areas: shame on you for betraying regional Australia. You walked around telling people that you would not do this, and each of you did it.

Those on the on the other side of the chamber cut education, cut health and cut youth funding. Shame on all of them! These people are hurting and they are terrified. It is unfair and cruel, what you have done.

Mr Pasin interjecting—

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