Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is clear that the family tax benefit cuts are a direct attack on the hardworking families in our community. In my electorate of McEwen, there are 17,345 families on FTB part A who will lose $726 for every child. There are just over 14,997 families on FTB part B facing cuts of $354 per family. Let's say that each of those families reflects the ABS average—that is, they have two kids. That is just over 64,000 kids in my electorate who will be hurt by these cuts if the Liberals get their way. What does this payment mean for families? It means kids having new shoes, clothes that fit or even a decent Christmas. Families are not a bottom line on a spreadsheet. They are doing it tough. Cuts like this will make it even worse. The Liberals have been trying to get these cuts through for two years and we have fought them all the way. That is because Labor stands up for families; we stand up for fairness. I do not know what the Turnbull government stands up for, but it is certainly not for these families. The Turnbull government does not care about the backbone of this country. What the Liberals are concerned about is maintaining fossil fuel and coal companies. That is because they need them. They need them to warm their cold, dead hearts. To the Turnbull government I say: it is very clear that, with your FTB cuts, you hate Christmas, you hate Santa and you want to destroy Christmas for all Australian families.