Julian Simmonds (Ryan, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I hear the interjections from the Labor members opposite, 'Not now.' Quite right—not now—because guess what we've done? As Australians, we're in trouble through COVID, as businesses had to be shut. This government has stepped up and provided appropriate support for them, and, because of that support, the OECD has ranked us No. 3 in countries that have come through this crisis in the best economic shape. We could only do that because we had a balanced budget and strong economic management before COVID hit. The Labor members could not have done it, because if they were in the same position they would have had $387 billion worth of extra taxes because of the person who has brought this very motion. Labor would have had taxes on tradies' utes, taxes on retirees, taxes on housing. Labor members would not have been in a position to provide the support to Australians that they needed during the COVID crisis.

We have in Australia a $180 billion safety net to support Australians every year. Australians expect us to be strong custodians of that money. It's their money. It's not the government's money; it's the Australian people's money. On average, every Australian puts in $7,610, or nine per cent of their earnings every year to support their fellow Australians. When they reach into their pocket and provide that average of $7,610 for every person, they expect that money to be used responsibly. They expect that, when somebody owes a debt to the Commonwealth, that is followed up in a reasonable and compassionate manner. Every Australian expects that. Labor members have previously expressed that desire, so that is what we will do: be responsible custodians. We will follow up debt where it is owed to the Australian people and the Australian taxpayers. The minister made it clear that the income averaging that was used in this particular scheme was used by Labor themselves to raise 20 per cent of the debts that they themselves chased. The charge of the opposition was simply that this government continued to use the principle that Labor members themselves were using extensively.

Another point is that I really must take umbrage at the member for Cowan's and the Labor MP's overt simplification and politicisation of the terrible issue that is suicide and mental illness in this country to try to score what is obviously a blatant political point. They are trying to conflate two issues: reasonable and responsible debt recovery on behalf of all Australians in order to safeguard our welfare system and our safety net, which is the envy of the world, with the terrible issue of suicide and mental illness. Those who suicide and suffer from mental illness do so for a number of reasons and in a multitude of circumstances, so to simply take one statistic and point over here to robodebt is an absolute nonsense. It's a simplification of the very complicated issue of suicide and mental health. Labor MPs should be ashamed of trying to use that to score a cheap political point when the real issue is about managing the money of Australians appropriately to provide what is a very generous safety net. It is the responsibility of government to manage money on behalf taxpayers. That's something that the Morrison and coalition governments do better than Labor MPs, and they know it. Australians will always trust a coalition government to manage their money more than they will Labor. (Time expired)

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