Keith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm fairly confident, after four years of engineering and after high school and primary school, which I'm sure you attended, that $22.6 billion is more than $13.3 billion. That sounds like an increase.

Mr Champion interjecting—

How substantial would that be? I know the opposition struggles with numbers, and I note the interjections from the member for Wakefield. I have said to the member for Wakefield that I have some sympathy for his situation. We certainly find ourselves on a unity ticket in some things. But this is an increase. You may well recall from your schooling that there were these coloured blocks and they would demonstrate when one thing is bigger than another. In fact, they'd demonstrate if it was twice as big or three times as big. It may well be a worthwhile investment for those opposite, because the reality is quite straightforward. In my home state of Queensland, in 2012-13, it was $2.66 billion; in 2024-25, that will be $6.5 billion. That is an increase. You cannot go out on radio and say to the people of Australia that there is a cut when there is an increase. It is an absolute outrage. I know they're bad at maths. I'm not sure if it's incompetence. I'm not sure if it's just plain deceit. I'm not sure how they sit there with a straight face and say to the Australian people that it's a reduction when in fact it's an increase. But we've got to say they've got form—and I note the previous contribution—from when they raised 'Mediscare'. 'Mediscare' was a completely deceitful campaign. It was false. It was untrue. It did not happen. I say to those opposite: you really should consider some of the people who listen to what you say. You went out and you scared people in my electorate, those seniors who are concerned about their health. You ran a false campaign. It was untrue.

I think they've got form. Let's look at the Leader of the Opposition. He goes to Melbourne and, when he talks about mining, he says: 'I'm against mining. I'm with the Greens position.' When he flies to Moranbah, he says: 'I love miners. Miners are my kind of people. We'll back you guys up.' But, as the leader of the AWU, what did he do? He gave $100,000 to GetUp! to campaign against the resources industry. I think you should be ashamed of yourselves. They were your people. They were and they are no longer. You only have to listen to Patsy from Caboolture. Patsy had a fantastic line. She was absolutely right. She spoke to the Leader of the Opposition on radio and what did she say? 'I am frustrated because you are not telling the truth.' So the people of Caboolture have got you lined up. They know exactly what is going on. They do not believe you.

It's a long line of people who do not believe them. There is a long line of people who want to get rid of the Leader of the Opposition. I noted the contribution from the member for Grayndler. He's certainly got form. He wants to line up. The member for Bass—I noted his interview yesterday, and, once again, I have some sympathy for him; we all find ourselves in those positions at times when working with journalists. But I didn't hear any support for the Leader of the Opposition—none, not a single bit. And today the member for Canberra had a run, on radio with Tim Shaw, and wasn't getting on board, wasn't supporting the Leader of the Opposition and certainly wasn't supporting the proposition that they wind back tax cuts for hardworking people in this country.

We come back to the ultimate issue, and that is that health funding in this country is increasing and it is increasing substantially. It is increasing substantially in my electorate. In the Wide Bay region in 2014-15 it was $114 million. In 2016-17 it was $152 million. That is an increase, and you should all get out your maths books, work out what it is, stop telling lies and tell the people the truth.

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