Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Liberal and National Party MPs opposite have abandoned their local communities. Never has a budget had such an unfair and disproportionate impact on rural and regional communities. In fact this government is the most destructive and harmful government we have ever seen. In particular to New South Wales, it is the National Party that has especially abandoned the bush, and regional Australians know you just cannot trust the National Party. Make no mistake about it, the people in rural Australia blame the National Party for their broken promises and the cruel policies that have been forced upon the communities.

Here are some of the harsh changes that the Nationals have forced on the families of regional Australia: the unfair $7 doctor tax, making it harder for country people to access health services; the Nationals also voted for the petrol tax, which will hit rural areas much harder than the urban areas; the Nationals are also increasing university fees, meaning that kids from the country cannot now afford to get to university; and the Nationals have also cut pensions, particularly unfair for those older Australians living in the country.

But that is what the National Party do. They break promises, bring in higher taxes and have greater cuts. That is why people do not trust New South Wales National Party members like the member for Page, for Cowper, for Lyne, for Riverina, for Parkes, for New England and for Calare. And of course, New South Wales Senators Nash and Williams are also not trusted. None of them should be trusted because they cannot tell the truth and they vote for policies that hurt regional Australia. That is proof that they have abandoned the families of regional and rural Australia and we saw proof of that in this year's harsh and cruel budget.