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

NSON () (): So this opposition has the temerity to suggest that the Albanese government has failed to address Australia's cost of living in its first six months? It's akin, really, to the arsonist blaming the fire brigade for not putting out the fire fast enough, after lighting the fire, pouring fuel on it, fanning the flames, cutting the hoses—let alone holding them—and cutting off the water as well. Come on! Fair crack! Seriously. I haven't been in this place all that long—seven years. I haven't been in it as long as some, and I've been here longer than others. But I do remember Joe Hockey's first budget. So let's have some real comparison over a 10-year period.

There was a thing called the Medicare co-payment. Ha! That didn't last too long. It was dumped as quick as sticks. I tell you now that people in my electorate and in Deputy Speaker Claydon's electorate, in the Hunter, have got a better chance of being able to see a doctor thanks to the Labor government instituting and re-funding GP Access After Hours, after the previous government slashed their funding. Let's think about that one.

Remember Joe Hockey's 'lifters and leaners'? It seemed as though there was a lot more leaning done by that government over the last 10 years than lifting Australia up. That's an absolute certainty. What about paid parental leave? I seem to remember that 10 years ago that was Tony Abbott's signature policy. It was going to happen under Abbott. Ha! Well, it didn't happen. Let me tell you: we've done it in six months, mate. So that's a big tick to the Albanese government. Gee, this is refreshing, to be able to compare our first six months to your last 10 years, because, let me say, it stacks up reasonably well—without getting too far ahead of ourselves.

There was a thing that Joe Hockey brought in—it was quite interesting—called the Automotive Transformation Scheme. It was supposed to help component manufacturers because they were going to be in big strife as the last of the automotive industry was happening. Well, that certainly keeled over, and of course Holden and Toyota left the country, after being goaded out by Joe Hockey. It is lucky that, in our first six months, we've managed to do it quite well, look to the future and encourage electric vehicles. We have been lauded for that by every group under the sun. They're saying, 'Bring it on.'

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