Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I think we all know who the rotting, stinking carcass belongs to. This topic for the MPI today takes me back to my university debating days. It would just be dreadful today if I had drawn the affirmative team and had to speak in support of this ridiculous topic. My team would be the losers for sure, hands down, just like Labor lost—lost control, lost sight, lost their way, lost the right to govern in September 2013. But today, Labor's matter of public importance is not difficult to oppose. Yes, they lost the plot as well.

We have heard it all today in this MPI, but it is worth repeating. Let's look at a few facts about Labor's 2007-2013 mess. Between 2008 and 2009, Labor delivered a deficit totalling $191 billion. Labor left accumulated deficits totalling $123 billion. If you say it quickly enough, it does not sound like a lot. Without intervention, the Australian budget would have been in deficit for 16 consecutive years—not just 'unfair', but incredibly irresponsible by those on the other side.

But we have intervened to stop the madness—the Abbott government's good fair budget management will recover the Australian economy. Let me say a little more on Labor. Labor presided over the fastest deterioration of our debt position in more than 50 years—since the Second World War. Labor introduced more than 20,000 new or amended bits of regulation, and that is new red tape; that is money and time down the drain; that hurts business; that is unfair and that damaged the economy. Without intervention, small business might just be down the gurgler, but we have intervened, chopping the tape, reviving business—that is the Abbott government's good fair budget management: rebuilding the economy, rebuilding confidence. We have our eye on the ball, our eye on the budget, our eye on the outcome to reduce Labor's appalling debt legacy and restore Australia's budget situation.

Let me turn to rural and regional matters. The National Farmers' Federation issued their scorecard on the Abbott government's recently announced FTA. The NFF have awarded the maximum five stars to dairy, beef, veal, sheepmeat and horticulture and four stars to wine—and I am very pleased for my member opposite. This means either major or outstanding improvements on Labor's dismal economic and budget legacy. The China FTA will create more jobs and opportunities by providing for Australia to invest in China in industries such as aged care, private hospitals, telecommunications, hospitality, travel agencies, construction and motor vehicle insurance. So those opposite can have their little outburst, but the facts speak very loudly. The Abbott government's fair and disciplined budgeting is rebuilding Australia's economy.

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