Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Perth, I should be fairer to her, because in truth she was one of the sane people on the other side of this place who were prepared to denounce the carbon tax. Unfortunately, the problem she has going forward is that her party is going to take to the next election a desire to return the carbon tax to ordinary, everyday Australians. That does not just mean that they will be paying more for their electricity. It does not just mean they will be paying more for their everyday commodities. What it means is there will be more regulation and red tape thrust onto business. And what that, in effect, means is that there will be less employment opportunities for young Australians, older Australians—nay, every Australian.

Those on the other side can continue to attempt to heap scorn on the red tape repeal days. The bad news for them and the good news for the Australian people is that they are going to happen twice a year every year. The other bit of bad news for members opposite is they are going to keep happening while we are in government and, I can tell you, while you are supporting more red tape and we are supporting less red tape, we are going to be on this side of the chamber for a very long time. So strap yourself in and come up with a new narrative because this one, with respect, is not working.

I must say that I am glad I lit the fire cracker because I have enjoyed it tonight. But if the member for Perth were serious she would—and I think we should see more of this in this place—join us in a bipartisan approach to finding every single opportunity to deregulate, to snip that red tape. I will remind the member for Perth that it was Craig Emerson who, in 2008, said:

We are promising to take a giant pair of scissors to the red tape that is strangling small businesses.

Well, he must have dropped his scissors. We have not dropped ours. I commend this bill, and I am looking forward to snipping up that red tape.

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