Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has made a choice to support pay cuts for nearly 700,000 workers and give tax cuts to multinationals. He has made a choice to take $17 billion from schools and give it straight to the banks. He has made a choice to cut funding for public hospitals and give it as a handout to private health insurers. Why, when he's given the choice, does this Prime Minister always choose the top end of town?

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

When the Leader of the Opposition was targeting the top end of town, he was in Burnie, going after Stubbs Construction with 60 jobs; he was in Hume, going after Universal Trusses with 60 employees; he was at Varsity Lakes at the Gold Coast, going after Evolve Skateboards with 15 staff; he was down in Braddon, going after Penguin Composites, just like his candidate down there, Justine Keay. Penguin Composites is another of those hardworking Tasmanian family owned businesses that will be slugged by the Labor Party if they get hold of the reins of government and can jack up their taxes. We saw him with a picture on his flyer for his business lunch in Devonport. That'll be great. You can imagine the applause he'll be getting from all those people. I wonder whether anyone from BridgePro Engineering will come to Devonport.

Mr Shorten interjecting—

He says he'll let me know. That business was started in 2010 by Aaron Brimfield, structural engineer, trained at the University of Tasmania. It has $16 million turnover. He started it with two staff; it now has 60. It builds bridges, jetties and general construction. That's the type of family owned business the Leader of the Opposition is going after. He likes to hang out with people in hard hats and high-vis, but he's threatening their jobs in Tasmania and all around Australia.

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

Is the Leader of the Opposition seeking to table a document?

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes. It's the invitation to the Devonport chamber of commerce next Wednesday. People are welcome. It'll be a very good event.

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