Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm pleased to have an opportunity to speak to this MPI today. In the Federation Chamber earlier today, I heard some of the comments from the member for Boothby about the closing down of the Holden plant in Adelaide. She really did not have a sense for what that meant to so many families and workers. Then we heard the member for Goldstein's Freudian slip when he talked about the other side's passion for 'exclusive growth'; he belled the cat there about where the focus of those opposite lies. Then we had the member for Calare talking about how things have never been better. I hope that, when he got back up to his office, his staff removed his cranium from his rear end so that he could appreciate and maybe listen to some other contributions, because it may come as a surprise to those opposite, who generally do better from electorates that do better—well done and good for you, guys, and that's fantastic—but a lot of people in this country are struggling and don't feel included in this growth thing.

Let's have a think about that growth. There are $65 billion worth of corporate tax cuts going to the big end of town. For what sort of growth? By their own admission, for one per cent growth in 20 years. Those in the gallery should know a lot of that money gained through those corporate tax cuts will go offshore—that is, not for Australians but for those incredibly wealthy people and companies offshore. How is that inclusive? I don't think it is. So what people are starting to wake up to—with Mr Point Piper with his mansion, our current Prime Minister and all his wealth, and good luck to him—is that people in this country are struggling, and they don't appreciate that those opposite's idea of inclusivity is to increase taxes on every single Australian earning more than $21,000. That's shocking. It's not a surprise. Those opposite don't understand inclusivity.

I was very happy to hear the member for Fowler on our side point to the findings of Catholic Social Services in their look into the state of inequality and inclusiveness in our country. They also mention the fact that the current Pope, Francis, isn't necessarily an adherent to trickle-down, and that's interesting, because a lot of those opposite like to profess a profound communion with the ideals of Christianity. However, taking from poor people and giving to those with abundance is not really in the nature of the teachings of that religion. Forgive them, Deputy Speaker Coulton, because they do not know what they are talking about. They do not understand what inclusivity is.

In fact, the member for Goldstein belled the cat, talking about an exclusive policy of growth excluding those on the margins. I come from the Northern Territory, where people are living on those margins. I understand what communities of disadvantage look like. I understand what it's like to represent people coming from a jurisdiction that depends on something like horizontal fiscal equalisation, which is about us sharing the GST, the glue that holds the federation together. Yet this Treasurer of Australia seeks to change the model by which some areas of our country that are doing less well get to share in the common wealth of our nation. He is saying the Productivity Commission is going around the country doing consultations about this change to the glue of our federation. Do you think they're coming to the Northern Territory? No. They're not coming to the Northern Territory, the very jurisdiction with the most disadvantage in our country, for Territorians to be heard. Territorians' voices should be heard on this issue. Labor will always be for an inclusive economy.

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