Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. How is it fair that, under this arrogant and out-of-touch Prime Minister, a banker from Point Piper earning a million dollars will get a tax cut of over $7,000 a year while a retail worker in Strahan will only get $10 a week along with a cut to their penalty rates? Isn't this what happens when a former investment banker is running the government and a former banker like Brett Whiteley is running in Braddon?

Mrs Sudmalis interjecting—

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

The member for Gilmore will cease interjecting.

Mrs Sudmalis interjecting—

The member for Gilmore is warned!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. Tasmania is seeing strong economic growth; it's seeing strong jobs growth; it's seeing confidence; it's seeing investment; it's seeing optimism. And do you know why? Because there is a Liberal government in Tasmania and there is a Liberal-National government in Canberra, and what we are doing is encouraging Tasmanian businesses to invest and employ, and they are doing that with a confidence and an optimism that we've not seen in Tasmania for many years. It's a beautiful thing to see.

Ms Chesters interjecting—

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

The member for Bendigo will leave under 94(a).

The member for Bendigo then left the chamber.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The honourable member's nodding her head. I'm glad she agrees! She clearly didn't write the question she asked!

It's good times in Tasmania at the moment, and it's based on the optimism and determination of Tasmanians. One of the important things to do is to be up-front and tell the truth. We know that when you reduce taxes on business you give greater incentives to invest and get ahead, and we know that because every government, Labor and Liberal, has taken that view for years. In fact, the honourable member's leader, the member for Maribyrnong, very eloquently said, standing right here, 'Lower business tax means more investment, higher productivity, more jobs and higher wages.' The member for McMahon went into print, he was so enthusiastic about it. So we know that. That's providing the incentives that we're seeing in Tasmania. But it's important to tell the truth to Tasmanians.

The Leader of the Opposition said, on 28 May in Braddon, that the north-west regional hospital has had its funding cut. Let's have a look at that. In Labor's last full year in office, Commonwealth funding for Tasmania's public hospitals was $294 million. This year it's $418 million—an increase of 42 per cent—and that excludes the $730 million payment made to the state government in return for taking back the Mersey Community Hospital. In terms of the new five-year funding deal, Tasmania will receive an increase—an additional $373.6 million over five years from 2020. It's going to receive all of that extra money.

So what we're doing is: we're providing the incentives, we're providing the encouragement, for Tasmanians to invest and get ahead. And they're seeing that growth, especially in Braddon. Above all, we're showing the integrity to treat Tasmanians with respect, and not mislead them as Labor is doing. We're delivering more funding into public health in Tasmania, and the only reason we can keep doing that is because of the stronger economy supported by our economic plan.