Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline to the House how the government is delivering on its commitment to build a competitive modern economy that creates jobs and lifts wages for all Australians? Treasurer, what are the risks of any alternative approaches?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the last election the Turnbull government was elected by the Australian people to implement our national economic plan to drive growth, because that is what will support jobs, that is what will lift wages, that is what will drive investment. And we were elected to implement that plan. The Leader of the Opposition has no alternative plan. His alternative plan is to creep around another parliament to try and undermine a duly elected government of the Australian people in this country and to sneak around like a snake to try and slither into the Lodge, rather than put up real policies to grow the economy.

Mr Brian Mitchell interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will resume his seat. The member for Lyons will leave under 94(a).

The member for Lyons then left the chamber.

The Treasurer has the call.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no place this Leader of the Opposition will not slither to pursue his own interest on every single occasion. Those opposite who sit behind him know it because they've seen him do it over his entire political life. There has never been a Leader of the Opposition so committed to himself than this one. We see it on every occasion—the way he ripped off union workers who counted on him to deliver for them, but he only ever delivers for himself.

The alternative on this side of the House is that we have plans that we're implementing to grow the economy to support more jobs in the economy—more, better and higher-wage jobs. We are getting the results. There were 240,000 jobs created last year. That's the highest year of jobs growth that we have seen since before the global financial crisis. We're cutting taxes for small business, cutting taxes for wage earners, cutting taxes for innovators and for researchers, investing in economic infrastructure—$75 billion worth over the next 10 years—investing in our Defence industries right across the supply chain and investing in education and the future of our young people right across the country.

What do those opposite do? Having said they're for income tax cuts, now they're against them. Having said they're for company tax cuts, this Leader of the Opposition will flip and flop on whatever he says at any time because he will say and do anything in his own self-interest. Having been for tax limits and a tax-to-GDP cap, he's now against it. Having come into this parliament recently saying that he's a great trust buster, in government he was a trust booster. He actually passed legislation in this parliament to ensure capital gains could be distributed to beneficiaries. That's what he did himself when he was the minister responsible. This slidey snake of a Leader of the Opposition can slither away.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will withdraw that last remark.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.