Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

We all were gripped by our television screens as we watched the final fizzle of this fizzer government, not half an hour ago. Prime Minister Turnbull dumped his signature tax cuts policy. On this side of the House we're torn—torn between joy that he's seen sense and disbelief because we don't believe it. We don't believe it. Why would we not believe it? We note too that, after months and months of it being called out on this side, he's going to leave the pensioners with their energy supplement. Again, should we celebrate? Do we believe it? We don't believe it.

Do you know why we don't believe them? It is because we have had assistant minister and minister after minister say they're going to do something about payday lending sharks, only for it to be 1,100 days in with nothing happening. We've got a Prime Minister writing letters to members of parliament, saying: 'It'll be in the chamber. We're going to do this.'

The member for Deakin needs to come in here and explain to us. Is his action on the payday lenders the same as his resignation? Is it real or isn't it real? We don't believe the government, because their actions belie them as truth tellers. The member for Deakin should bring that legislation in now before we get to the G-G.

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