Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This budget is hurting families, lots of families in regional areas, including 10,000 families in my own electorate—people who are on the lowest and smallest of household incomes. Included in that figure of 10,000 is Sharon. After the budget, she sent me an email and gave me permission to raise her concerns today with the House. She believes that she will be at least $50 a week worse off if the changes to family tax benefits go through. She is a single mum, raising a daughter, living in Castlemaine, and she lives from day to day. She is already concerned because her credit card is maxed out and she does not know how she is going to pay her next round of bills. She has asked friends for help. She has asked family for help. Now she is asking this government to help by not proceeding with the cuts to family tax benefits that will hit the poorest families hardest.

You can tell this government's priorities by their budget. They are supporting the people on the highest incomes. Nine out of 10 people on the highest incomes are better off as a result of this budget, whilst nine out of 10 on the smallest incomes are worse off. That shows the priorities of this government. They are not thinking of Sharon and the 10,000 families in my electorate who will be worse off; they are thinking about their mates. They are not thinking about those they should be thinking about: families. This budget is hurting families.