Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have received a letter from the honourable Leader of the Opposition proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely:

The failure of the Government to provide stable and competent government at a time of increased cost of living pressures for Australian households and families.

I call upon those members who approve of the proposed discussion to rise in their places.

More than the number of members required by the standing orders having risen in their places—

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This government has failed to look after the cost-of-living concerns of Australians. But the question underpinning this, the question I think is on the minds of a lot of Australia's now, is: is Tony Abbott the worst Prime Minister Australia has ever seen? In fact, is this the most disappointing Liberal government Australia has ever seen? In order to support the proposition that Tony Abbott is the worst Prime Minister Australians have ever seen I would submit for the consideration of the parliament, and indeed the Australian people, rising unemployment. We had the Minister for Education giving a reasonable impersonation of that famous Iraqi Communications Minister 'Comical Ali' when he said employment was a great argument to justify this government. Well, 100,000 people extra on the unemployment queue really shows what is happening in this country.

It is not just unemployment that is a problem for this government and, more importantly, for Australians. We have seen 11 million Australians have their superannuation payment levels frozen. We have seen $100,000 degrees on the table. Only this misfit Liberal-National government would propose deregulation of universities, and the outcome will be higher prices and fewer people going to university. We have seen them say they are going to be a government for Indigenous Australians, but they have cut half a billion dollars in funding, including very important funding in terms of community legal aid, and Australia has one of the most shameful rates of Indigenous incarceration. We have seen this government—not just the Prime Minister but all the contenders for his job—queue up and say absolutely resolutely that they support the $80 billion in cuts to schools and hospitals contained in that budget. Pensioners have suffered under this government with a cut to their rate and indexation proposed. We have seen this nation go backwards on climate change. We see the $6,000 cuts to family payments. We see this government cutting child care by $1 billion, including very important family day-care programs. That is a significant list of failure by this government.

This government love to lecture the opposition and say they are interested in what real Australians are interested in. I tell you what, real Australians are concerned about rising unemployment, the demise of much of our manufacturing, the extra slugging of pensioners, the GP tax, the $100,000 degrees and the $6,000 cut in payments to families–not to mention the heinous cuts to education and health care. But just in case last week people thought this was the worst government and the worst Prime Minister that we have ever seen, then we had this week. We have got more leaks than the Titanic coming from the government. We have got propositions from the government where they are leaking against each other saying that some people did or did not support the GP tax—although they all support the GP tax. We have even had the Attorney-General, who is hardly noted for his judgement, warning the Prime Minister that the Prime Minister was playing with fire when he was politicising national security—far be it for the opposition to accuse the Prime Minister of politicising national security! But proving that even a stopped clock can be right twice a day, maybe the Attorney-General was onto something.

Not only do we have leaks from within the government, we have got the ultimate bunker-busters coming from the Prime Minister's enemies in the Liberal Party. I have got to meet this fellow, the treasurer of the Liberal Party. He seems to have a lot to say for himself. He emails his 'preferred version' of political violence upon the Prime Minister. But what I am really interested in is seeing whether there are any more emails coming from the treasurer of the Liberal Party. If the treasurer of the Liberal Party will not even back his own Prime Minister and warns there are severe problems in the government, how on earth can the rest of Australia believe this is not the worst government ever. Of course, the Prime Minister is supported by his great band of allies—in case you do not know who I mean, I refer to his frontbench. The Prime Minister is doing more morning TV shows than Kerri-Anne Kennerley. We have got the 'Minister for Backbench Communications'. And, of course, we have got Scott Morrison—the less said the better.

But even more serious than some of the undermining of the Prime Minister from within his ranks—the tsunami of leaks—is the public health scandal which is this inadequate government's inadequate handling of berry contamination. It should not have taken 10 days for this government to decide to test 100 per cent of these berries coming from this region of the world. Twice this week in question time we have asked the Prime Minister about this—since he has apparently got his finger on the pulse of what is going on in Australia. We said to him: how many Australians have been exposed to contaminated berries? He does not know. This hero of our borders cannot tell us how many hundreds of thousands of Australians have potentially been exposed to contaminated berries. But it gets worse than that. He cannot tell us how many people potentially will contract hepatitis A. He cannot even tell the parents of school children in Queensland, South Australia and Victoria whether their children have been exposed. This is a delinquent government asleep at the wheel. But not only are the berries and the leaks problems; we have the shocking ongoing strategic saga of the submarines. Somehow we have a $20 billion or $30 billion contract being promised on the back of an envelope for a couple of tawdry South Australian votes. This is a disgrace.

I actually agree with what the member for Grey said—that is Rowan Ramsey, for those not familiar with him. He is a good man, and I agree with him; and I am going to quote the good man's words from Liberal Party meeting room. He said it was important that these hulls are welded in Australia. Oh, yes, it is, and we will agree to support that proposition. But again we have them jumping through the hoops about what a competitive tender is: what did Kevin Andrews mean? What did David Johnston promise? Where is David Johnston?

What this has shown is that this is the worst, most cynical government we have seen in Australian history, with the worst, most cynical Prime Minister in Australian history. Look at his attitude today, saying, 'No-one really cares if I bully and intimidate the President of the Human Rights Commission. Australians aren't interested in that.' What a thug. What a bully.

I understand that when you are the Prime Minister of Australia you have a marvellous pulpit to articulate a vision for the future. It is a great opportunity to lead this nation in the necessary debates it has, but it is not a pulpit for bullies. It is not a pulpit to intimidate, harass or put undue pressure on an independent statutory office holder. Those pictures yesterday told 1,000 words; they were pictures of Gillian Triggs, independent President of the Human Rights Tribunal, sitting two people down from her assassin—her boss, in one way—the Attorney-General, George Brandis.

It defies credibility, members of the government, that you could be someone who is independently appointed for a fixed period of time and a powerful secretary—to be fair, on instructions from an even more powerful Attorney-General, working at the behest of the most powerful man in Australia—comes to you and says, 'We have no confidence in you but, by the way, we can find you a suitable appointment in some other capacity.' That is an inducement to resign. That is a most inappropriate form of conduct. Sure, this cynical government can say, 'We don't care. It does not matter; no-one cares. When you're in trouble, break glass and bring out Comical Ali, Christopher Pyne, to have a crack.' The truth of the matter is it is much more serious.

We understand that we must support our independent statutory office holders. Which judge is next? Who is next going to feel the weight of Tony Abbott's anger and wrath? What on earth did Gillian Triggs—Professor Gillian Triggs, respected jurist and President of the Human Rights Commission—do to deserve this outlandish attack from this Prime Minister? Yesterday in question time, the Prime Minister made a most undignified, unedifying assault. This worst Prime Minister Australia has ever seen—fresh from wrecking the confidence of Australian business and causing mayhem with his unfair budget—launched what I thought was the worst moment of his political career when he launched that unedifying attack from the position of the most powerful man in Australia. He is the head of the executive branch of Australia and he used the full authority bestowed on him by the Australian people to attack this individual president for writing a report he did not like. He traduced the independence of the Human Rights Commission.

I know, and Australians are reminded, that we have a Prime Minister who is unfit to be the Prime Minister of Australia. He is psychologically unsuited for the task of leadership. He cannot restrain his anger at people who disagree with him. Many have felt his wrath: advocacy groups, climate change advocates, economists, the unions—you name it, this Prime Minister attacks all. The backbenchers, Malcolm Turnbull—everyone has felt his wrath, even the poor old whip, Mr Ruddock.

The real issue here is that we have a Prime Minister who is not focused on the needs of ordinary Australians. He is an arrogant, cynical Prime Minister whose government is taking Australia in the wrong direction, and it needs to stop. (Time expired)

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This nation has had 33 opposition leaders since Federation. We have just heard from the worst of them. Eighteen of those opposition leaders have become Prime Minister; God help us if ever that man becomes Prime Minister. Let us hope he does not. But I will take him up on a few points.

He talked about jobs. Let me tell him, as he scurries from the chamber, that job advertisement levels as measured by the ANZ are at their highest levels in over two years, with job ads growing a healthy 13.6 per cent through the year—the fastest yearly growth in more than 3½ years. More than 200,000 jobs were created just last year—213,900. This equates to around 585 new jobs, each and every day, or a new job every 2½ minutes. In 2014, jobs growth was more than triple the rate seen in 2013 when Labor was last in power. The Dun and Bradstreet business expectations survey released on 3 February 2015 found that the outlook on employment is the most positive it has been for a decade.

When I attended school, and that was a little while ago now, students were graded A to D for their educational prowess or lack thereof. If I were marking the current government and opposition for their respective performances and policy proposals during the 44th Parliament, I would award us an A for effort. I would give a D to those opposite—absolutely a D. The attendance record of those opposite has been pretty good.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh, come on!

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I hear the deputy opposition leader saying, 'Come on!' You are only worth a D, but I will give you marks for turning up. Your behaviour and attention, however, leave a bit to be desired. Maybe you could improve on that as you work towards the next election. Maybe you could work on your discipline. In this game you have to be straight down the line and tell it like it is.

I acknowledge that there is much work for the government to do. I acknowledge that there is a job to be done. We are putting our shoulder to the wheel despite the relentless negativity and obstruction from those opposite. We have done very well in many of the key areas we said we would prior to the 2013 election. We have delivered. The carbon tax has gone; that means $550 savings for the average household and family. The boats have it stopped. They came in their hundreds under Labor—their hundreds—but we stopped them. Just one has arrived since the responsible people were put in power. That has saved money. It has allowed more places for humanitarian purposes and, most importantly, has saved lives. The roads, as promised, are being built. Contrast our record with those who rightly occupy the opposition benches. Let us dig a little deeper into this dreaded D that Labor has deserved for its underachievement—in fact, D could be quite a theme for Labor.

They are in denial. They are refusing to believe the result of the 7 September 2013 election. They are delusional, thinking they are still in government. I say to them: get over it. They are divided and they are dysfunctional. The factional rift is still wide and it is growing by the day.

The opposition leader is a puppet. He is a mere puppet played by the unions and, if anyone thinks the unions are not up to their old thuggish ways, then just take a look at the front page of The Australian today—a bit of biffo, bully boy tactics; typical union tactics—disgraceful. It might have worked on the wharves once upon time, but there should be no such room for standover militancy—

Opposition members interjecting—

I can hear them yelling, because they love their unions. In Australia in 2015—and the next Labor speaker would do well to come to the despatch box and say that that behaviour that went on yesterday was deplorable.

Labor are disinclined to help this nation back to prosperity, back to economic stability, back to business confidence, back to jobs growth. Just take the scrapping of the East West Link project in Melbourne by the new Daniel Andrews Labor Victorian government—a loss of a billion dollars in investment as compensation and 7,000 jobs. We heard from the Treasurer today in question time—7,000 jobs; typical Labor.

Labor are becoming increasingly desperate. They plumbed the depths when in government and they are no better in opposition with the member for Maribyrnong in charge—deplorable, disruptive to good government, destructive, disliked. They are derelict in their duty to provide sensible, measured, reasonable and mature opposition as we did when the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government was sending this country to the wall.

Labor treated Australians with disdain. The dilemma we face is to get Australia working again and to overcome the debt and deficit—they are two words—

Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You doubled it!

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I hear the member for Parramatta—two words that Labor should be very familiar with, two D-words: debt and deficit. As far as debt, $123 billion of cumulative deficits—if we let it go untouched, it will be $667 billion which future Australians are going to be saddled with, because of Labor being derelict in their duty.

The contrast between coalition success after spending less than 18 months in government and Labor's legacy of six years in office could not be starker. The coalition is building a strong and prosperous economy, and a safe and secure Australia. In less than 18 months in government, the coalition has had a remarkable number of achievements. We are opening up new market opportunities for Australia following preferential trade agreements with South Korea, China and Japan; and we are getting on with one with India. Our focus will now turn to conclude a trade agreement, as I say, with India by the end of this year to open up more opportunities for Australian producers, exporters and farmers.

I know that not too many people on the other side really care too much about farmers, but we do. We are working to continue to deliver improved health and education services for regional Australia. Minister Nash only recently announced a new mapping classification system to better identify doctor shortages, which is working towards our commitment to improve better access to medical services in regional and remote Australia. I appreciate that Parramatta is not regional and remote Australia, but I tell you what: those people matter. We care about those people on our side of the House.

We are building stronger regional economies, because we recognise the vital role that rural and country areas can and must play in overcoming Australia's national challenges and driving development. The government has made a record $50 billion-plus investment in transport infrastructure—the largest by any government in Australia's history.

We know that the former minister, Minister Albanese, talked a lot about it—the member for Grayndler. He talked a lot about it, but Warren Truss, the Deputy Prime Minister, is getting on and doing it, and funding it. We have launched our signature billion dollars National Stronger Regions Fund currently taking applications to specifically support investment—

Opposition members interjecting—

They are very loud over there, Mr Deputy Speaker Scott, because they obviously like what I am saying about regional Australia. I know not many of them have ever represented regional Australia, not many of them have ever cared about regional Australia, but regional Australia grows the food that is put on their tables.

The National Stronger Regions Fund will specifically support investment in priority, economic and infrastructure projects to drive growth in the regions. We have committed $300 million to get construction underway on the iconic Melbourne to Brisbane inland rail project. They talked a lot about it when they were in government. They had case studies done on it, and all that sort of thing. We are getting on with the job of doing it. There is $100 million to address mobile phone black spots across the mobile phone networks in regional Australia, and that is so important. We have committed another $100 million—

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You cut a billion dollars out of local government!

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You never provided anything. We are getting on with the job of actually giving real money. There is $100 million for rural research; $15 million to improve market access; $20 million for biosecurity; and $8 million for safe, effective chemical access for farmers.

I heard the member for Maribyrnong talking about biosecurity. Fair dinkum: talk about hypocritical. That side did nothing about biosecurity when they had six years on the government benches; nothing about food labelling. What do we ever hear, Mr Deputy Speaker? Absolutely nothing, diddly squat, zilch, zero. We are getting on with the job of fixing the problems.

Under a range of programs contributing to building stronger regions and communities, we are able to deliver $2.34 billion in water infrastructure upgrades for the Murray-Darling Basin. I hear them go silent, because they could not have given two hoots about the Murray-Darling Basin. I tell you what: we are legislating also to cap water buybacks to 1500 gigalitres. I know that will mean nothing to those opposite, but it gives security to our farmers and our river communities, and that is so very important.

In our short term in government to date, we have managed to recommence and expand Australia's live cattle trade. So you can see all the good things that we have done. All your side gave to this country was debt and deficit, and that is why you deserve a big fat D for your performance.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The reason we have this matter of public importance before us today is that this government is failing to provide stable and competent government at a time when Australian families are really struggling.

I travel around Australia a lot in my role and I can tell you: I have spoken to nobody in the last 17 months who says that after 17 months of Liberal-National government they feel better off. They feel under pressure, they feel cost-of-living pressures, but they also fear the future because of the measures in the last budget in May that the Treasurer still has not managed to get through the parliament—measures like a GP tax, the petrol tax, $100,000 university degrees and cuts to pensions. There are cuts to pensions of $23 billion, which will add up to about $80 a week off the average pension after a few years. There are family support cuts and $80 billion in cuts to schools and hospitals. People are worried about the billion dollars cut from child care and what that will mean for the availability and the affordability of child care, particularly in the area of family day care. They know that, under this government, the average family who are on around $60,000 a year will be $6,000 a year worse off. So they certainly feel the pressures right now, and they fear the pressure of the future when costs like these $100,000 university degrees are added in.

What is the government's response to these kitchen table issues that are concerning the families of Australia? What is their response to the worries that are keeping parents awake at night—worries such as: how do I find child care for my children? How do I afford it? What is going to happen to school education funding in the future? How am I going to afford university for my one, two or three children? What is the government's response? A knighthood for Prince Philip. If you are talking about an illustration of a government profoundly and deeply out of touch, you do not have to look any further than the response of this government to those cost-of-living pressures that Australian families are concerned about.

We have some of the highest rates of unemployment in 12 years. Unemployment in Australia today is higher than it was during the height of the global financial crisis. How can it be that, having survived the global financial crisis, unemployment today is actually higher? One hundred thousand people have joined the unemployment queue. In fact, it is the highest rate since the Prime Minister was the employment minister back in the day.

What do we hear from this government in response? I heard one of the worst interviews I have heard in a long time when I heard the Treasurer talking to Linda Mottram on ABC Radio; I think it was Friday of the last sitting week that we were here. The interviewer put to the Treasurer, 'Treasurer, you are talking about unemployment. What about the Youth Connections program that you have cut in this budget?' Under the Youth Connections program 93.4 per cent of those who received help were still in education or employment after six months. It has been fantastically successful. I certainly know the Youth Connections program in my electorate. I have met Youth Connections providers around the country, including some in very disadvantaged areas who are helping kids who are homeless or who are from very difficult family backgrounds. They are helping them to get and stay employed, and what was the Treasurer's response? Not even, 'Tough time, had to make a tough cut.' He said, 'I've never heard of that program. I don't know what that program does. I can't be expected to know every program the government runs.' He should not have cut it if he did not know what it was.

Mr McCormack interjecting—

We have the government making excuses. Do you know Youth Connections in your electorate? Yes, you do.

Mr McCormack interjecting—

No—he does not know Youth Connections in his electorate. Here we have a situation where a Treasurer is so out of touch that he would rather smoke cigars than actually read his own budget papers and work out the programs that he is cutting. What impact will this have on Australian families? This is what we see today: a government that is out of touch, chaotic and unable to govern because they are preoccupied with their own leadership contest. (Time expired)

Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to make my contribution to today's matter of public importance. I have here the letter that was sent to the Speaker proposing it. It reads:

Dear Madam Speaker

In accordance with standing order 46, I desire to propose that today on Wednesday 25 February 2015, the following definite matter of public importance be put to the House for discussion …

It talks about providing a stable and competent government and about increased cost of living pressures for Australian families. This is on the letterhead of the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Bill Shorten. What bald-faced hypocrisy for the Leader of the Opposition to table an MPI talking about stable and competent government and increased cost of living. When they were in government for the previous six years, we saw the most incompetent, the most dysfunctional and the most chaotic government in our nation's history. In every single portfolio there was complete chaos and complete dysfunction.

Where should we start? How about the economy? The Treasurer in 2012 stood up there at the dispatch box and said, 'The four years of budget surpluses I announced tonight'. We know what happened there. If we go into border protection we see more chaos: 50,000 arrivals, 800 illegal boats, $11 billion in cost blow-outs in defence—the lowest level of defence spending as a proportion of GDP since 1938. If we look at mining and resources, we had the mining tax announced and then changed—eight times. There was complete chaos and dysfunction. In agriculture we saw the live cattle fiasco. In small business we saw a revolving door of small business ministers. It was just a disgrace. What hypocrisy to come in with such a matter.

Then we come to cost-of-living pressures on Australian families. I am glad the member for Parramatta is sitting at the dispatch box, and the member for Chifley and the member for Werriwa are here—and I will not forget the member for McMahon, who is also sitting there; he is another member from New South Wales. You lot might be interested in some figures recently released by the Australian Energy Regulator that showed the number of households in New South Wales that had their electricity disconnected because of that toxic carbon tax which pushed up the price of electricity in this country.

These are the numbers. I hope you take note, Member for McMahon. You may be asked questions later on this, so please grab a pen or a pencil to write this down. From 2009-10 to 2013-14 we had a 100 per cent increase in the number of households in New South Wales that had their electricity disconnected. I am sure, Member for Parramatta, that many of those people were in your electorate. In New South Wales, 32,000 households had their electricity disconnected because of the carbon tax increasing prices. On top of that, another 63,000 households in New South Wales were on payment plans because they had trouble paying for their electricity because of the carbon tax. You lot voted time and time again to block the repeal of the carbon tax, and you come in here and talk on an MPI about increased cost pressures on households. What an absolute disgrace you lot are!

The member for Sydney came in here and whinged about cuts and increased costs. The biggest increased cost pressure on family households today is the interest payment on the debt that you guys ran up. It is $13½ billion this year, which gets put down to every single family in Australia, because of the waste and the mismanagement of the six years of you lot in government. That works out to an increase of $560 every year for every man, woman and child just to pay the interest on their debt. For the average household of four, it is over $2,000. That is the cost of the interest on the debt from your mismanagement and your incompetence—and you come in here and you move this MPI. What a disgrace!

We are getting on with the job. There is no magic solution. There is no magic pudding. We cannot reduce cost-of-living pressures by borrowing and spending more money. Sadly, that is the recipe that they have. (Time expired)

Bruce Scott (Maranoa, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I let the member for Hughes carry on a bit there, referring to me as the person who was doing all these nasty things. You might reflect on that the next time you speak in this chamber.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have seen the priorities of this government on display over the last 48 hours, and the Australian people have seen them as well. This is a government that cannot work out whether their biggest priority is to decide when to tear down their Prime Minister or how to tear down a statutory independent officeholder. They are going around the corridors of this building saying, 'Shall we do it this week or shall we do it next week or should be wait until after the budget?' There are little minions all around the building deciding on timing and when they should tear down the Prime Minister of this nation and there are other people deciding on how to tear down a professor of law who holds an independent statutory office.

The Prime Minister showed at question time that he just does not get it. He stands at the despatch box and says, 'We don't agree with the Human Rights Commission president.' That is not the point. The former government did not agree with things the Human Rights Commission did either, but we did not try to tear down somebody who has an important role in the Australian legal system, whose independence is vital and important to Australia's legal system, whose independence has been sacrosanct and respected by governments of both persuasions in the past—but not by this government.

The Prime Minister comes in here and says, 'We are more focused on real issues, important to the Australian people.' Well, guess what? Good governance is important to the Australian people. Honesty and integrity are important to the Australian people—and the Australian people know they do not get it from this Prime Minister. They also understand that, when this government talk about issues important to the Australian people, there is nothing they least like to talk about than their unfair budget—their unfair budget which has seen the Australian principle of fairness thrown out by this Treasurer; their unfair budget which has seen confidence smashed right throughout the Australian economy.

I was watching Senate estimates before—as one does—and I saw the Minister for Finance plaintively pleading with the estimates committee and telling them that absolute confidence is high. 'There's nothing to see here,' he said, 'Confidence is going well.' He obviously was not aware of the evidence of the Governor of the Reserve Bank. I am a bit worried: the Governor of the Reserve Bank is an independent statutory officeholder and he has given evidence that the government will not like. He told the House of Representatives Economics Committee:

We have a significant lack of confidence —I think more in the business community than among households—to expand, invest, hire and innovate. To my mind, that pervasive sense of caution and feeling you do not want to take a risk is the thing I worry about most when it comes to getting growth.

That was the Governor of the Reserve Bank giving evidence before the House of Representatives Economics Committee. The same day, he gave evidence that he did not advise the cabinet about the federal budget, unlike what had been leaked out by the government; unlike what had been briefed out of the cabinet room by the government. They were caught out by the evidence of the Governor of the Reserve Bank, for whom we on this side of the House have respect. We on this side of the House respect the office of Governor of the Reserve Bank as well as the individual, just like we respect the office of every single statutory independent officeholder and just like we respect the importance of fairness and confidence in the Australian economy.

The fact is that this government has overseen a situation where we now have 795,000 unemployed people right across the country—the highest level since 1994. There are more unemployed people in Australia today than at any time since 1994. This government inherited a situation where Australia had lower unemployment than the United States, and now we have higher unemployment than at any time during the global financial crisis. And they claim good economic management! They claim that confidence is high. They claim that they are creating economic growth, when they know that growth is below trend and—as independent analysis shows—will continue below trend on this Treasurer's watch, because this Treasurer has seen confidence smashed.

We saw confidence begin to fall in the lead-up to the budget when the Treasurer was flagging emergencies and crises and all the cuts he would need to make. We saw confidence fall even further, and go through the floor, when the Australian people actually saw the budget for the first time, and they lost confidence in this Treasurer and this Prime Minister. The Australian people lost confidence in the Prime Minister and the Treasurer last May, just as their party room lost confidence in them this week. They walk around the corridors saying, 'Maybe we should let down the budget and then we should take over. Or maybe we should strike first so they don't make another mistake in the budget.' We know these conversations are occurring. We know this is a dying government at war with itself. But the Australian people want a government focused on the real issues—focused on unemployment and focused on a fairer Australia. (Time expired)

Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What we know is that when those opposite were in government they were chaotic and dysfunctional. They were out of touch. That is why the Australian people voted them out. Those opposite were working on gossip and innuendo and focusing on Canberra—that really, really, works; it really resonated with the government. It really resonated with the Australian people! You were out of touch. You did not even know—

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise on a point of order. This is another outrageous attack on your good self. We won't stand for it.

Bruce Scott (Maranoa, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for McMahon for his protection!

Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sorry, Mr Deputy Speaker. I was referring those remarks to the shadow Treasurer, not to you. I think it is quite ironic that they should come in here, particularly the Leader of the Opposition, and put their names to this MPI. The Leader of the Opposition leads a party which, when in government, saw four leadership spills, and he had a hand in every single change of Prime Minister. Yet he comes in here and tries to lecture us about stability, after six years of absolute chaos and dysfunction. Those opposite have the audacity to come in here and lecture us. What a joke! I can't believe it! They talk to us about cost of living pressures. Well, they implemented the carbon tax. We got rid of it. We listened to the Australian people. They did not want the carbon tax. We got rid of the carbon tax.

Those opposite come in here and start lecturing us about stability. The Australian people know what we are focused on. We are focused on putting measures in place to protect Australia and to ensure that there is financial stability and security over the long term. The McClure report on Australia's welfare system was released today. The report, which was commissioned in 2013 by the then Minister for Social Services, the Hon. Kevin Andrews, examines the welfare system to make sure that it is sustainable for the future—so that it is efficient and effective for the future. This government is working hard to ensure that Australia will be able to support those who need help, while respecting those who contribute to that support—something which those on that side do not know anything about. The current system has evolved over many decades, and it is complex.

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr Deputy Speaker, do you know what? When they were speaking, we gave them the courtesy of listening. They should give us the same courtesy—particularly the member for Griffith, who is a serial offender and who is not even in her seat. At least when we are not sitting in our seats we give you the courtesy of listening and being respectful—something that you guys know nothing about.

Opposition members interjecting—

Bruce Scott (Maranoa, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left! If you are out of your seat then you are disorderly if you are interjecting.

Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They are an absolutely dysfunctional rabble. The member for Griffith is going to go to her seat. Good. Now you can interject!

Ms Butler interjecting—

Bruce Scott (Maranoa, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Solomon has the call and will be heard in silence.

Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. The message is that we on this side actually recognise the importance of having a sustainable welfare system—one that can handle supporting generations into the future. If it were up to the Labor Party, those on the other side, we know from their history that they would empty out the public coffers.

Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again.

Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is exactly right—again. We know that, because they left us with a projected debt of $667 billion. Debt, deficit, chaos and dysfunction is certainly the Labor way. We know that we are providing a sustainable place for everyone in the future. We want to make sure that the welfare system is one that can be sustainable into the future. We have got rid of the carbon tax. We have stopped the boats. They said we couldn't. They said it was a slogan. We have proven them wrong. We cannot risk having those guys back on these benches. Over six Labor budgets, those opposite increased spending by over 50 per cent. (Time expired)

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My goodness! In this MPI, let us have a look at a few facts of what has actually happened under the life of this government. Unemployment is at a 13-year high. How shameful that so many Australians are out of work because of the dysfunction and chaos of this government. We have seen this government take the absolute sledgehammer to this budget. I want to go through some of the facts of what this means for Australian families. There have been $5½ billion worth of cuts to family payments. Whose pockets do you think this is coming out of? The pockets of Australian families—the people whom you all suggest that you might like to represent. Go down to the High Street and talk to your families. Talk to a single-income family, earning $65,000 a year, with a couple of kids at school. Your government is taking $6,000 a year out of the pockets of those families. It is only the Labor Party who is stopping you from taking that money out of the pockets of families. That is what you want to do to families. And don't worry, we will be telling families what you intend for them every day between now and the next election.

We will also be making sure that pensioners understand what it is that you want to do to them. Only this government would consider doing this—not the Howard government. This cut was never considered by the Howard government but it has been considered by this government; in fact, the legislation for it has been through the House of Representatives. You all voted for a cut to the indexation of the age pension and the carer payment. Have you told carers that it will be out of their pockets? That is where the money is coming from. Have you had the guts to say to carers that you are going to take money out of their pockets?

The Australian Council of Social Service has estimated this is worth $80 a week. Every member of the Liberal Party and every member of the National Party want to take $80 a week out of the pockets of age pensioners, disability support pensioners and people on the carer payment—all those carers who do an extremely important job. Every single member of the Liberal Party and every single member of the National Party want to take that money out of the pockets of those pensioners. The Parliamentary Budget Office has estimated this is worth $23 billion. That $23 billion will come out of the pockets of pensioners and out of the pockets of carers. Shame on every single member of the Liberal Party for attacking pensioners in this way.

Of course the most shameful cut of all is what this government want to do to young unemployed people. They are saying to young unemployed people that they want to put them on nothing for six months. They want them to have nothing to live on at the same time, of course, that they are cutting emergency relief. So the emergency relief providers in suburbs and towns all around Australia are facing the cuts that come from this government's budget. They will not get any food from emergency relief because of the cuts of this government. And of course they are saying to young unemployed people: 'You'll have nothing to live on for six months. You can go on Work for the Dole for a while. If you still cannot find a job, you'll be on nothing again for another six months.' That is what they are saying.

If you want to talk about chaos and dysfunction, this government are all chaos and dysfunction. All we see week after week are leaks from that side of the parliament instead of concentrating on the people who deserve all of our support—the families, the young people who are unemployed and the pensioners who have worked so hard. We know how important it is that we maintain support for these people in our community. All the government want to do is destroy their opportunity for a decent life.

Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Like my colleagues, I thank the opposition for raising this matter of public importance. It is almost a Dorothy Dixer, because the cost-of-living pressures for Australian households and families are what this government is focused on. The member for Jagajaga raised a couple of interesting points. She said, 'Take a sledgehammer to the budget.' Think about this statement from Wayne Swan:

The Government shouldn't be chasing the same resources as the private sector—that would only add to price pressures, and ultimately feed through to the cost of living for Australian households.

What is more important is Labor converted the records surpluses of the Howard government into record deficits. Labor delivered around $200 billion of deficits, with $123 million of deficits to come. Labor promised a surplus in 2012-13 on over 500 occasions, but what they delivered were more deficits.

Currently government bills exceed income by over $100 million a day. So you do have to take a sledgehammer at times to a budget, because we cannot continue to live beyond our means. We are in this problem because Labor would not stop spending. They even tried to lock in billions of dollars of new spending, earmarked for years after they left office. The International Monetary Fund recently confirmed that for the six-year period from 2012 to 2018 Australia was forecast to have the largest percentage increase in spending of the 17 IMF advanced economies profiled.

It was also interesting to listen to the member for Jagajaga talking about the impact on families. But Labor did not consider single mothers who were moved from pensions that gave them an income to Newstart. Labor left them in poverty. So do not come into the chamber and be hypocritical in that sense.

Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What have you done about it?

Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is good to hear from you, Member for Adelaide, because at least you are contributing to the conversation for a change.

We are keeping parents' costs down and putting money in their pockets through our families package, which will be released in coming months. As a strong, stable government, we are delivering a small business company tax cut as part of our small business and jobs package. We are improving oversight of rules about foreign investment in our agricultural land and residential homes. Under the coalition government, Australia's retail trade numbers have risen month after month since mid-2014, to be up 4.1 per cent through the year. Building approvals are up 8.8 per cent on a year ago. Job ads, as measured by the ANZ Bank, are at their highest for more than two years. We are opening up new markets through free trade agreements with Korea, Japan and China.

Perhaps those opposite would like to hear again what this means to those who elected this government at the 2013 election. It means that a young person today has more chance of getting a job when they finish school or university. It is easier for that young person to upskill and to move into an even better job. It is easier for them to fill up their car with petrol and to stock their fridge with food. This government's stability has created an opportunity for a young person to save for a house or for their overseas holiday.

Mr Husic interjecting—

It will be easier for them to contemplate starting their own businesses, Member for Chifley. It will also be easier for them to attract foreign investment into that business. Their businesses will be able to employ and train others. They will be able to access financial advice that is sound and not advice that will lead to them going astray. Their parents should be able to afford aged care that is close to their home. Going to the doctor or to see a specialist will not be a hassle for them. Down the track, it will be easier for them to get affordable child care for their children. Their children will enter a world-class school system, a world-class higher education system and the cycle will begin again.

A strong government is important and this coalition government is focusing on what is needed for families. I cannot pretend it is all economic roses at this point. This time two years ago, our economy was in the shaky hands of some of those opposite, and we have not yet plucked out all of the policy weeds that still remain from the work, programs and initiatives that they put into place.

On this side, we respect the taxpayer. We do not take our stewardship of the public dollar lightly. Today we are committed to reviewing the social security system. This government will focus on families, focus on the economy and focus on a better future for all Australians, to ensure that they have the life they expect. (Time expired)

Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about the failure of the government to provide stable and competent government at a time of increased cost-of-living pressures for Australian households and families. We have seen some extraordinary scenes in the last few weeks from those opposite. We have seen the division, the leaking, the spill motions, the manoeuvring, the betrayals and the ongoing plotting. In recent days, particularly today and yesterday, we have seen the frustration building up in those opposite and we have seen them taking it out in Senate estimates, with appalling behaviour—the sort of bullying that we have never before seen in this parliament. We have seen this in the last couple of weeks. While some people observing this may have found it interesting, many people have found much of the behaviour entirely extraordinary. Some people may have found it a little bit satisfying to see the Prime Minister under such pressure, as he faces his now inevitable fate, but the truth of the matter is that this is a time when, more than ever, the Australian public need a government that is focused on them, a government that is focused on their households and their families.

We just heard from the member for Hasluck, who would have you believe that Australian families have never had it so good as they now have it under this government. The truth is that, if you go out and speak to the community, speak to Australian families, about what is actually happening and the pressures that they are debating around the kitchen table each night, you know that there are great levels of concern out there, that there are huge pressures on the family budget and that, far from the rosy picture that the member for Hasluck would paint of what is happening out there in today's Australia, we are actually faced with unemployment at a 13-year high. That is not just a statistic; that is something that is impacting on real families right across Australia. Those opposite, particularly my South Australian Liberal colleagues, seem to be going out of their way to increase the unemployment rate, to drive out jobs in the automotive sector, in submarines and in shipbuilding. In the last 24 hours, we have actually had the member for Hindmarsh cheering along the loss of Airservices Australia jobs in Adelaide. We know that this is having very real impacts on family budgets. Far from having a government that is focused on solutions for Australian families, instead what we have in those opposite is a government that brought down a budget which only made things worse. We have a government that introduced severe cuts, of more than $5.5 billion, in family payments, leaving some families in Australia $6,000 a year worse off. That is the reality we are dealing with.

I am particularly interested and involved in the Australian childcare debate and the childcare space. We know in this area that, when the government—who got elected promising that they would make child care more affordable and more accessible—came to office, the first thing they did was cut over $1 billion from childcare programs. We have seen in recent days the long-awaited Productivity Commission report and the recommendations on childcare reform for the future. I should say that I and the Labor Party are absolutely supportive of constantly working to improve our childcare system. We want to see greater affordability. We want to see greater accessibility. But we also want a government that does not just talk; we want a government that acts. So, whilst we are hearing from those opposite that they are just about to fix all of these problems, the reality for Australian families is something quite different. The reality is that those opposite are still currently pursuing more cuts to the Australian childcare sector.

At a time when the Minister for Social Services may go to the Press Club and talk about the solutions which are about to come out, we actually have a bill before this parliament right now—which those members opposite are supporting—which cuts the modest, means-tested childcare benefit, which only low- and middle-income families receive. We have a bill which the government's own department has said will be detrimental to over 500,000 Australian families. That is still on the agenda of this government. We have cuts to the family day care sector which we know will increase fees by $35 a day. So we are saying that we will absolutely play a constructive role, we will work with the government, with any other stakeholders, towards improvements for the childcare sector, but we are also very clear: they need to remedy the damage that they have already done and they need to stop their cuts. (Time expired)

Craig Laundy (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is always an honour to speak on an MPI. I know that we normally stand up here and throw abuse backwards and forwards, but I get the honour of following the member for Adelaide, who has got a very exciting time ahead of her—a tough gig—and I cannot hurl abuse at a lady at such an exciting time. I am also a little bit shy of time, so I thought I would attack it a little bit differently at the tail end of the debate today. I thought I would focus on some facts—something normally glaringly missing from the speeches of those standing opposite.

Put simply, this MPI revolves around competence and cost of living. Today I would like to tackle that back-to-front. On cost of living: this government came into power with a pledge to get rid of the carbon tax. Doing this not only decreased the average household's bills by $550 a year but we kept in place the compensation package that went with the carbon tax. I noticed today—it was particularly interesting—that the alternative Treasurer of this country was batting at third drop, quite a hefty demise, and of course the major part of the compensation package was that the tax-free threshold was increased to $18,200, a fact that he battled to grapple with last week. The second point about the carbon tax is that, in the December quarter, households on average around Australia experienced a 5.1 per cent decrease in their electricity bills, the biggest drop since statistics have been measured, obviously putting more money in families' pockets.

Interest rates have had a 0.25 per cent decrease in the last month. Whilst we focus traditionally on mortgages—and that is a good thing; $750 saved to a family on a typical $300,000 mortgage—it is also important on the business side of the equation. Lower cost of funds equals increased investments and jobs, and that is always a good thing. Petrol prices are an average 43c a litre cheaper today than at the budget. If you look at overall inflation at the December quarter you will see that it is sitting at around 1.7 per cent. Obviously that is a very low rate.

I will move to competence. In my electorate of Reid, there is no bigger issue than WestConnex. This week we have found that, if there is a Labor government elected in New South Wales, they will walk away from the vast majority of the project, exactly like their cousins south of the border did.

Let's have a look at the free trade agreements that we have got through. We have agreements with Japan and Korea in place. Funnily enough, that feeds into cost of living in so far as it will lag as we produce investment and expand business into the country. If you look at a Mazda 3 car, for example—the most popular car bought in Australia—in January it decreased in price by $2,100.

I see the member for Wentworth has joined us. If you want a better example of competence, I will talk about the NBN. The member for Wentworth will deliver the NBN $29 billion cheaper than Labor would have, and our approach will deliver $16 billion more in economic benefits. As an ex-publican—and I can tell you that I have a link to the member for Wentworth that goes into the pub field as his father was a hotel broker—I can tell you how to make a lot of money out of beer coasters. It is by putting drinks on the back of them, not by designing $70 billion and $80 billion worth of capital investment.

We have a basic structural deficit. Here it is in a nutshell. We can do two things about it. We can tackle it or we can put our heads in the sand. Those sitting opposite continue to have their heads in the sand. There are $5½ billion worth of savings that they proposed that they should get out of the way and get through; otherwise, the future of our kids and the future of this great country will be placed in great jeopardy.

Brett Whiteley (Braddon, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time for this debate has expired.