Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It's been just under a year that the Liberals and Nationals have been sitting on those benches over there in opposition, and we know it's been a tough year for them. In that year, they have tried to land a blow on the cost of living, and in response we've delivered not one but two budgets that will help families and those doing it tough. Our budgets have driven and will drive down the cost of medicines. They'll make it cheaper to see a doctor. They'll make early education cheaper for Aussie families. In that year, the Liberals and Nationals have also tried to land a blow on renewable energy and climate change, ridiculing what Australians voted for at the last election. In response we've legislated a net zero target and unlocked billions of dollars of investment into cheaper energy. In that year, they have tried to hold on to one of the bluest of their blue seats, the seat of Aston, and in response we have become the first government in over 100 years to win a seat off the opposition—and what a fine member she is and will be!

They've tried everything. They've tried it all and they've failed. And now, in an act of absolute desperation, they've broken the emergency glass case in the party room and reached for that shiny Liberal Party dog whistle, and with this motion they're whistling it loudly. They're blaming new migrants for the failures of their government. All their other tactics have failed, so they have now decided to try and convince the Australian people that migrants, new and old, are to blame for their 10 years of inaction. They have decided to attack the people in my electorate and blame them for the Liberals' cuts to Medicare and for their 10 years of inaction on providing affordable housing.

Shame on them for returning us to the worst years of the Howard government—the former prime minister who turned migrants and immigrants into political footballs. Well, in case those over there need reminding, Bennelong doesn't like it when the Liberals reach for that dog whistle. Bennelong kicked out Howard, they kicked out Morrison and they elected me to this place to stand up for them. They elected me to speak out against dog whistling on migration—to speak out when Chinese Australians and Korean Australians and Indian and Armenian Australians are attacked by their governments.

This motion claims we have no plan to fix the former government's mess. We know that in this budget and the last budget we have invested game-changing amounts into health care. This budget delivers more than $6 billion into new investments to strengthen Medicare, as well as an indexation boost to the rebates of more than $1.5 billion—the biggest increase in 30 years. This budget continues to clean up the mess left by the former government.

It's not just in health where those opposite are loudly dog whistling; they are also here today blaming migrants for a housing crisis. They're blaming migrants for the Liberals' underinvestment in affordable housing. They're blaming migrants for the Liberals' underinvestment in infrastructure. They're blaming migrants for the Liberals' 10 years of dysfunction and missed opportunities. What makes this motion today so extraordinary is that months ago, here in this room, they voted against a plan to build 30,000 new and affordable homes across Australia. And today they are siding with the Greens and that other famous anti-immigrant, Pauline Hanson, to block a vote on the biggest investment in social and affordable housing in a decade.

Instead of supporting our plan, they're in here blaming migrant families, new and old, for their own 10 years of neglect and failure. Shame on them, because I think they all need to hear this loud and clear—and I'm glad the member for Wannon, the mover of this motion, has walked back in; this time you need to hear this, member for Wannon—migrants make Australia stronger; migrants make our country more prosperous; migrants make our communities more inclusive and more diverse; migrants grow our economy; and migrants make Bennelong and Australia better. For as long as I am in this place, I will always call out disgusting tactics like this and stand up for migrant families in Bennelong and across Australia.

See this speech in context