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

We have a winner in the member for Bonner. It was 1989. What else happened in 1989? Bob Hawke was the Prime Minister. It was the last time a federal Labor government delivered a budget surplus. Can you imagine how many voters have been born since 1989 who can vote at the next election who have never seen federal Labor deliver a budget surplus at the federal level? Last night, the Treasurer of Australia, Josh Frydenberg, delivered a surplus for Australia and its people. It's the first surplus budget since 2007. It demonstrates how strong the economy is. It demonstrates what we are doing to drive jobs, particularly into the regions. We've delivered over a million jobs—as we said we would. So this side of the House is delivering for the Australian people. We are building on a stronger economy, particularly in the regions.

Inside the budget, we have opportunities for those in my electorate. There are 12,182 small and medium sized businesses in Hinkler which will benefit from the government's instant asset write-off, which we've increased to $30,000. As one of those on this side who have run a small business, I know that that helps you with cash flow. It gives you the capacity to buy these items and write them off in the first year. That means a stronger bottom line and more confidence. More confidence in small business means more employment—and that's what we're all about.

We've dropped the unemployment rate across the country in the time we've been in government. We're back in the black in terms of the budget last night. Those opposite will destroy the economy with a $200 billion tax hammer that will destroy all of the work that we've done to turn around their terrible economic management when they were in government. There is an opportunity for the Australian people. It is coming up. It'll be a stark choice between us and them. I say vote for the Liberal-National Party.

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