Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I became a member of this parliament to work hard for the people of my community and to advocate for families, small-business owners, single parents, young people, students, people living with disabilities and all those people who need a voice in my seat of Paterson. I became a member to advocate for stable jobs, a functioning NDIS, reliable NBN, affordable energy, world-class education and accessible health care. I'm sure some of those opposite share that desire, but as the days pass it is becoming increasingly evident that many do not. They are here for themselves.

The 2019 parliamentary calendar revealed that there are just 12 days—not the 12 days of Christmas—of parliament sitting between now and the 2019 budget in April of next year. This government has given up. They're not turning up. They're not speaking. They're not doing their job. This government has run out of ideas and as the days pass they're running out of members. This government is not interested in representing the people of Australia. Their disunity and division has become a dereliction of duty. They are a disservice to democracy.

It is a privilege and an honour to have this job, and you should be turning up and doing it, just like every single day since I've been elected I have been turning up to do my job, speak in the parliament, represent the people of Paterson and make a contribution to our great democracy. You're making a farce and a joke of Australia on the world stage. Get on with the job or get out.

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