Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

of everything that is being canvassed in this discussion paper is the delivery ultimately of better services, better public hospital services and better public school services.

I would have thought that members opposite would not have been scared of a sensible debate, because—let us face it—their own national platform says:

Labor believes our … Federation—

needs—

to be modernised to resolve the funding and administrative problems that have prevented government effectively dealing with the challenges … today.

Over the last couple of days, the Leader of the Opposition has failed the challenge of leadership. He abdicated leadership when it came to budget responsibility, to the Greens. And today he has abdicated leadership of the challenge of modernising our Federation to Premier Jay Weatherill. Not only has he abdicated the challenge of leadership, but, frankly, he is even abdicating the challenge of followership, because surely it is not beyond the wit even of members opposite—even of the federal Labor Party, who have sunk so low, it seems, that they cannot even have a debate. They cannot even have a debate.

I do not believe that we have necessarily already achieved the last word of wisdom in every policy matter concerning our Federation. I think it is very important that we do spend more when it comes to public schools and public hospitals, but I do not think that spending money is the be all and the end all, the only test and measure, of good policy.

That is the problem that members opposite have. They think that more spending is the answer to every problem. Well, we found out time and time again when members opposite were in government that they could spend and spend and spend and just make a situation worse. That is what they do. They spend and spend and spend, and normally they make situations worse. I say to members opposite: have a long hard look at yourselves and engage in what is a serious process of national improvement.

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