Andrew Nikolic (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

What we have just seen is 30 minutes of party political commentary, reliving the 2013 election. We heard the member for Adelaide invoking the name of David Gonski—who, frankly, has disowned the Labor Party's approach to education in all its forms. The member for Adelaide walks out of the chamber, having told this House about promises that were made, knowing full well that the coalition said that we would be committed to the forward estimates when it came to school funding over four years. Contrary to her assertions, education funding and health funding rise each year over the next four years. And, again, we hear these quite mendacious claims from Labor members opposite about cuts, when the budget papers tell a totally different story.

We see once again that tendency of the Labor Party to overpromise and under deliver, and it is not just when it comes to education; it is also the NBN. For three elections we saw the member for Lingiari and his colleagues come forth and makes these extravagant promises about the NBN and never deliver. We also heard about superclinics and surpluses. In 2012 the former Treasurer, the member for Lilley, stood up here in this House and talked about 'The four surpluses that I announce tonight'. Goodness me—four surpluses!

Mr Snowdon interjecting—

It is absolutely outrageous when the other day we learnt that, instead of a surplus this year, we have got a $49.5 billion deficit. The hypocrisy of those opposite beggars belief. They have a history in government of $191 billion in achieved deficits, $123 billion across the forward estimates—

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