Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The face of Australian politics has apparently changed, or so we are led to believe. Having disposed of one prime minister, the Liberal Party has set about creating a new, more agile and innovative government with a new prime minister at the helm. Yes, we have a new prime minister, new ministries, some fresh faces and some new job titles. To be sure, the Australian people collectively breathed a sigh of relief as the door shut on the former Prime Minister and the new Prime Minister emerged.

There was, at least initially, some new-found confidence in this new Prime Minister. He was a better wordsmith. He had a better suit. But it turns out he is still selling the same old lame Liberal-National party policies—I will come to some of those in a minute—and falling back on a number of the same old practices, as we saw in parliament today. Indeed, as the TV confession that continues to haunt the Special Minister of State now haunts the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister preferred to gag debate today rather than have to defend yet another bad captain's pick in this parliament.

In terms of just how little has changed, I think it is worth exploring some of the policies that remain on the table in this parliament. Let us not forget that this new government stands firmly by the decision to make the biggest ever cuts to our schools, with some $30 billion to be ripped from our classrooms over the next decade. In my electorate of Newcastle, schools will be more than $195 million worse off because of these cuts over the next 10 years—cuts that will impact on every student in every school in the region.

Likewise, the GP tax is still in place. I think it is up to something like version No. 4 now. Whilst we do not dare utter the words 'GP tax', these days it is a tax by stealth, hitting everybody who sees a doctor.

Let us not forget that, before the Liberal government were elected, they promised to build and create jobs for Australians. Yet, two years later, 800,000 Australians are out of work, including 300,000 young Australians, the highest number in over 20 years. Then there are the cuts to the family tax benefit and pensions.

On top of all these cuts, all this pressure the government is placing on hardworking Australians, it is planning an increase of the GST. There is nothing fair about a 50 per cent increase of the GST or broadening its base. Modelling suggests a broadening of the base of the GST to include fresh food would add some $686 per year in costs to the average household, another $251 per year if extended to education, $467 extra if extended to health and another $727 extra for financial services and other items. The Liberals do not understand that people are already struggling to make ends meet to pay those bills—including the people in my electorate of Newcastle. Slugging people who can least afford to pay more, while letting those who can off the hook, is never going to pass the fairness test. It is just more of the same from this Liberal government.

Labor will stand with Australian families and will fight the government's plans to increase the GST. While the government has been working hard to place additional pressure on the Australian people, Labor, in stark contrast, have been working on our positive plans for a smarter, more prosperous Australia.

We have plans for the jobs of the future because we know that 75 per cent of the fastest-growing occupations now require STEM skills, and employment in STEM occupations is projected to grow at twice the pace of other occupations. We will heavily invest in all levels of education. Our commitment to creating jobs does not end in our school system. Indeed, we are looking at higher education, but we also understand the important role of TAFEs. Certainly, our commitment to securing funding for TAFE is vital for regions such as mine. This is part of an ambitious plan that Labor have for Australia, a vision that we will deliver at the next— (Time expired)