Cameron Caldwell (Fadden, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Unfortunately, quite sadly, this government is letting down everyday Australians. Right across this country, particularly in my electorate, Fadden, people are doing it tough. You only have to walk down the main street of Labrador, Coombabah, Pacific Pines or Pimpama to see that people are hurting. When you talk to them, when you walk with those people, when you listen to what they say, they are hurting under a terrible Labor government. I notice that there are quite a few people in the gallery here today, which is wonderful—for them to observe our democracy. I just wonder what's going through their mind, whether they think they're better off now than they were two years ago under a competent coalition government.

As we enter the new financial year, everyone on the Labor side of the House has been promising that life will be easier because they're delivering their stage 3 tax cuts. That's what we heard on 1 July—magically, everything is going to get better. The problem is this: these tax cuts are a drop in the ocean compared to the damage that has been done to the Australian household. The cost of living is, quite frankly, completely out of control. And it's because of the failed Labor government's budget that the household budget is hurting so badly—reckless spending, Jimflation continuing to rise, making everyone's lives more expensive.

I understand that governing is new to those opposite. They've only been there for a short period of time. So let me help you out with a quick lesson in economics.

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