Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. And it's instructive for those opposite to listen to this, because all the people they've said will be better off are actually worse off in real terms. For the benefit of $15 a week, people in my electorate—hardworking Australians, such as an electrician in Forde—will be in the order of $7,000 a year worse off, before including the additional costs on their mortgage.

A receptionist in my electorate working in one of the professional services firms will be in the order of $7,000 a year worse off. Also, those opposite failed to take into account in their earlier contributions the removal of the low to middle income tax offset. Nowhere in this debate have those on the government side really spoken about the cost of living. They have spoken about the tax cuts. But every example they've used in their answers to questions and in the debate do not reflect the totality of the situation for ordinary people on the ground. Ordinary people on the ground in my electorate of Forde, as a whole, because this government has failed to deal with the cost-of-living issues that I pointed out earlier, are not better off as a result of this bill. They are still worse off under this bill, because the cost of living has gone up so substantially.

We hear those opposite say regularly, at the end of every answer—and it's even been mentioned a couple of times today—that they want to see Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn. Well, can I say to those opposite, that is exactly what is not occurring under this bill, because the cost of living has gone up to such an extent that Australians are worse off now than they were when this government came to power 18 months ago. We see no evidence whatsoever of this government doing anything to deal with the real cost-of-living issues that everyday Australians are facing, and I urge support for this amendment.

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