Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Hansard source

We are at a crossroads. Australia is struggling under the weight of the Labor government's economic mismanagement. Today, as we bring these appropriation bills to the chamber, bills that allocate $12 billion to keep the country running, we must also confront the dire truth: this is a financial mess of the Labor's own making. The coalition supports these bills because we believe in ensuring essential services continuing but we cannot and will not ignore the shocking economic failures that have made this spending necessary. The reality is clear—everyday Australians are paying the price for Labor's economic incompetence. Australia is being plundered to keep this government afloat, a government that sees regional Australia as nothing more than a cash cow.

Since Labor's election in 2022, they have splurged an additional $347 billion in taxpayers' money. What do Australians have to show for this uncontrolled spending? Families in my electorate are struggling to keep up with the cost of everyday essentials, with the prices on basics skyrocketing. Inflation remains stubbornly high, well above the Reserve Bank's target range. The price of food alone has increased by 12 per cent, and energy prices have risen by 32 per cent despite Labor's hollow promise of cutting power bills by $275. In just 2½ years, we've seen a 66 per cent increase in the number of hardworking Australians seeking assistance with their energy bills. Pensioners who have worked hard are making the decision: do they heat their homes during the winter and cool them in the summer, or do they eat?

Families in Capricornia tell me they are paying hundreds of dollars more each quarter for electricity, yet the government remains silent on real solutions. Labor's reckless energy plan is a disaster for Australian households and businesses. Just last week, Moody's confirmed it could cost up to $230 billion over the next decade and drive electricity prices up another 25 per cent. This is yet another independent warning that Labor's renewables-only approach will hurt Australians, forcing families and businesses to the wall. Peak industry bodies like the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia are sounding the alarm, yet the government refuses to listen. In just one year, wholesale power prices have skyrocketed by a staggering 83 per cent, placing an unbearable financial burden on families and businesses. Despite Labor's promises, the cost of electricity continues to climb, leaving Australians struggling to keep up with soaring energy bills. The Minister for Climate Change and Energy assured Australians that wholesale power prices would be just $51 per megawatt hour by 2025. Instead, reality has seen prices soar past $100 per megawatt hour, more than double the promised figure. This failure to deliver affordable energy is yet another example of Labor's empty rhetoric, not matching real-world outcomes. Adding to this betrayal, Labor promised households a $275 reduction in power bills, yet families are instead paying up to $1,000 more. These rising costs are hurting everyday Australians, who are already feeling the strain of increased mortgage payments, grocery bills and fuel prices.

Labor's reckless energy policies driven by their ideological war on coal and gas have weakened the reliability of our power grid. By sidelining dependable base load energy sources, they have left Australians vulnerable to an unstable system that relies too heavily on expensive and unreliable renewables, with no proper backup in place. This mismanagement is not just a failure of policy; it is a failure that directly impacts every Australian household and business. Labor has no plan for affordability, no plan for reliability and no plan to keep the lights on. Meanwhile, Australians are paying the price. Interest rate hikes have added thousands of dollars a year to mortgage repayments. Young Australians who once aspired to own a home are now being priced out of the market entirely. The great Australian dream of homeownership is slipping further and further out of reach due to Labor's reckless economic mismanagement.

Labor's policies are directly hurting regional Australia. Their war on agriculture, their attacks on the resources sector and their anti-small-business agenda have made it harder for industries in Capricornia to thrive. Farmers tell me they are struggling with rising input costs, with fuel and fertiliser prices hitting record highs. This is not just a problem for them; it's a problem for every Australian who relies on affordable food and strong supply chains. Despite the Treasurer's assurances that relief is on the way, everyday Australians are seeing none of it. Labor's approach has been to throw billions at bandaid solutions rather than addressing the root cause of inflation. Handouts and subsidies may provide short-term relief, but they do nothing to fix the long-term structural issues that are driving up costs. While roads in my electorate were left to crumble from funding cuts and lives were lost on the Bruce Highway, Labor splashed $450 million on a failed referendum that did nothing but divide communities. Just months out from an election, billions of dollars were finally found for the Bruce Highway in a last-ditch attempt to appease disgruntled voters.

The Labor lies and the incompetence of this government don't stop there. Independent analysis from the Parliamentary Budget Office has now revealed a massive $11.1 billion black hole in Labor's budget, further exposing their economic mismanagement. While Labor claims it will maintain the Public Service at its current level of 209,150 employees, they have failed to budget for the cost, leaving a multibillion-dollar shortfall over the next four years. This is yet another example of their reckless spending and inability to properly manage taxpayers' dollars. So how exactly will Labor fill this gap? Will they hit hardworking Australians with more taxes, making life even more expensive for families already struggling with the cost-of-living crisis? Or will they cut vital frontline services, further neglecting the very people who rely on government support the most? The reality is that Labor's bureaucratic blowout is out of control. Since coming into office, they have expanded the Public Service by an astonishing 20 per cent, with wages surging by 11 per cent, all while ordinary Australians are being told to tighten their belts. It's time for the Labor government to explain why they're on this bureaucratic binge while ordinary people bear the burden. We have been clear that the Public Service must be efficient, effective and sustainable. For every new Public Service job, hardworking Australians face higher taxes to foot the bill. The coalition will sensibly consolidate the Public Service, protecting essential services while making smart reductions where there's duplication or excess capacity. It's about ensuring value for taxpayers, not more waste.

Instead of this government offering transparency or real solutions, all we get from Labor is denial, spin and empty promises. The coalition are committed to strengthening our economy and getting our country back on track. After years of economic mismanagement under Labor, Australian families, businesses and communities need real leadership and a government that delivers results, not more spin and broken promises. Our plan is focused on restoring confidence, easing cost-of-living pressures and ensuring a better future for all Australians. We will bring inflation under control by putting an end to wasteful government spending that continues to fuel price rises. By cutting unnecessary taxes, slashing red tape and reducing the stranglehold of union bosses over small businesses, we will create an environment where families and businesses can thrive. Cheaper energy is also a key priority, and we will deliver it through a balanced mix of power sources. Housing affordability has become a crisis under Labor, but we have a plan to turn things around. We will fund the critical infrastructure needed to support new housing developments; help first home buyers enter the market; restrict foreign investors, who are driving up prices; and restore a sustainable migration intake to ensure housing demand does not outpace supply. At the same time, we'll make our communities safer by cracking down on violent crime committed by noncitizens, strengthening our defence and border security, and enhancing online safety measures to protect children. A strong and reliable healthcare system is essential for every Australian, and we would deliver it by increasing funding for GPs, boosting bulk-billing rates and expanding Medicare-subsidised mental health services. Under our leadership, health care will be more accessible, ensuring that no-one is left behind when they need medical care.

Right now, Australians across the country are asking important questions: are you better off today than you were 2½ years ago? Do you feel safer and more secure? Is our country more united than it was before? And, given all we've seen, can Australians afford another three years of Labor's economic failures and social division? The answer is clear: it's time to restore confidence in our economy it's time for a government that gets out of people's way and allows Australians the freedom to succeed, and, most importantly, it's time for a return to strong, decisive leadership that puts Australians first. The coalition have the plan, the experience and the vision to get our country back on track and ensure a brighter, more prosperous future for all. This is our promise to the people of Capricornia. This is our promise to regional Australia, and this is our commitment to getting our country back on track.

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