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

I thank the member for Murray for her question, and I thank her for her long-term commitment to the welfare of her constituents and the benefit of all Australians. I can inform the member for Murray and all members that this is a government which is getting things done. This is a government which is actually delivering for the people of Australia. I am sure members all around this House will be pleased to know that the current parliamentary sitting fortnight has probably been the most productive in this term of parliament. A great deal of legislation has passed through this parliament, starting with the small business budget boost, including the instant asset write-off, which is doing so much to boost confidence for small businesses right around Australia, which is doing so much to help small businesses to invest, to employ and to serve their customers. I thank members opposite for their cooperation in getting the small business budget boost passed.

Then, of course, we had legislation to introduce a fairer and more sustainable pension system pass through this parliament. What this will do is deliver $30 a fortnight for 170,000 pensioners with very modest assets. I thank the Australian Greens for their help doing this.

The renewable energy legislation was passed through the parliament. Again I thank the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Industry for their work there. I particularly thank the crossbench in the Senate for what they did to ensure that wood waste was going to be appropriately treated. What this legislation does is reduce the pressure on our power prices while also getting certainty to the industry.

Best of all, over this sitting fortnight some $14 billion of savings have passed through the Senate, and what this does is help to secure our long-term future. We are moving towards a sustainable budgetary position. Every year, the surplus drops by a half a percentage point of GDP. We are on track for a sustainable surplus in the years to come.

Today the Minister for Communications and the parliamentary secretary announced that there would be 500 new and upgraded base stations right around our country to address 3,000 black spots right around out country.

This is a government which does not just talk about doing the right thing; we are doing the right thing by our people. We are making a difference for the people of Australia. Change for the better is happening right now thanks to this government and, just in the last fortnight, thanks as well to this parliament.

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