Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Listening to the member for Oxley, it is like a script for a new movie called Weekday at Bernie's. 'There's a whole lot of money embezzled; we'll just say debt and deficit racked up,' not embezzled but racked up. Then somebody passes away and everybody tries to make out as though it has not happened and they just keep going as per normal. It is a new movie, Weekday at Bernie'sbecause, if the member for Oxley has not been sitting there asleep since September 2013, he would know that we do have a crisis of confidence in this country, left by Labor. However, we are getting on with the job of fixing that crisis of confidence, and the budget released at the start of May has done just that. It has calmed the waters. It has given people back the absolute confidence that they need to invest in small business and jobs, and to get on with the job of paying back the debt and deficit legacy of Labor.

We will not be lectured by Labor on fairness or sustainability—just like we would not take political advice from Kyle Sandilands! We have just heard from Labor members sounding a little bit like that shock jock. We will not succumb to the lefties on Twitter who tell us how to run this country, because we know from going into small businesses, talking to family groups, pushing our shopping trolleys around the supermarkets—in those IGA supermarkets, which are great little businesses—that the people who have trusted us with government have confidence that we are doing the right thing by this nation, paying back the debt and deficit left by Labor.

That is how good government operates. We do not operate on knee-jerk reactions like Labor did on 7 June 2011 when they shut down the live cattle trade. Labor talks ad hoc and at length about NATSEM modelling. It did not even include the 2015 budget. He who pays the piper calls the tune, and it is rubbish in rubbish out. If you want material out of particular modelling, pay for it, commission it, get it like Labor did. Then you will get the answers that you want. Push briefing, push modelling.

Labor needs to get on with the job of helping us to pass our budget because if they do that they will be doing the right thing by this nation, putting in place the sorts of things that our country needs—small business needs. We heard the health minister today making medicines more affordable with a package of measures transforming the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. That is a good thing. Just signed, or in the process of being signed, is the 6th Community Pharmacy Agreement. The 47 chemists around the Riverina are very happy with that, let me tell you.

What do we get from the other side? Labor wants to reintroduce the carbon tax. Labor wants to introduce a mining tax that hits some mining companies but not others. Labor wants to tax superannuation. Labor will reopen our borders. We are there. We are supporting welfare to work. We are giving people the dignity of a job. That is what good governments do. Our $5½ billion small business package includes a suite of measures that will inject confidence and boost momentum right throughout the country.

Today we have heard that we are getting on with the job, with the tax depreciation measures for farmers announced in the 2015 budget being brought forward to 1 July this year. That is great. On 12 May, the federal Treasurer announced that $70 million would be allocated for accelerated depreciation claims for fencing and water infrastructure and fodder storage, but the move was scheduled for July 2016. So the good Nationals, of which you are one, Deputy Speaker, lobbied to have that brought forward because we know that regional Australia is one of the driving forces—

Dr Leigh interjecting—

The member for Fraser would not understand that, because he would not know a farmer if he fell over one. But we know that the confidence is out there in regional Australia. They grow the food and fibre to feed our nation and many others besides. We just heard from the small business minister. He is getting on with the job of getting through those measures that small business needs, such as the tax write-offs and the incentive to employ people. Labor had six small business ministers in six years. They did not understand the engine room of the economy. We do. That is because we have been in small business. All Labor cares about is debt, deficit and unions.

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