Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

While the flat-earthers that inhabit the coalition are too busy high-fiving each other's foreheads for pushing Australia into reverse gear on climate change, if they let the ringing in their ears die down for a bit they would hear the protests of the general public about the budget they have inflicted on Australia. The coalition have not been content to spare any part of society from the cuts they have inflicted on people, but yesterday we had the Treasurer walk in and deliver the biggest dummy spit that we have seen a long time, because he cannot get his changes through. Those people on the opposite side promised all things to all people. They said there would be no cuts to health and no cuts to education. They said they would not increase taxes, they would not cut spending further and they would bring in a surplus—nice try. The PM was also asked whether he would use the condition of the budget as an excuse to break promises. He said—exactly right—that he would not. Now we have the Treasurer threatening more people in Australian society and threatening to do the types of things that the Commission of Audit recommended: slowing down the rollout of the NDIS, increasing the GP tax to $15, abolishing family tax benefit part B—further cuts, further hurt to the Australian public. None of you guys said you would do that. You should go back to your electorates and explain why you are dudding the people who voted for you.