Ross Hart (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This rotten government is a leaky, rusty boat crewed by what the PM called a bunch of muppets on a cruise to nowhere, with Malcolm leaving the muppet show with his version of 'The Muppets take Manhattan'. Yesterday, Tasmanians read that they were a bunch of beggars, but worse than that: 'adjective deleted mendicants'.

Prime Minister Morrison owes an apology to all Tasmanians for his disgraceful insult. Regional Tasmania has already suffered as a result of this government overseeing growing inequality between cities and regions, and a lack of investment in health and education services. The last thing our electorates need is a Prime Minister who treats Tasmania with contempt and who clearly didn't care if political expediency meant cutting Tasmania's GST receipts. Any cut in GST receipts, or the real value of GST receipts, would have a devastating effect on service delivery in the regions, regions that are already struggling due to cuts made by the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government—cuts to health and education funding.

Of the many highlights of the battle within this dysfunctional muppet show, their leaked national infrastructure plan, supposedly for their re-election campaign, showed $7.6 billion worth of projects—not one new dollar for Tasmania. We weren't surprised that Tasmania didn't get a mention in the leaked re-election announcement, but to find out that the Prime Minister thinks that we're a bunch of beggars is beyond belief. This shows the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Liberal government's approach to Tasmania. Unless it's a by-election they hope to win, infrastructure in Tasmania has been ignored. Since being elected, I've been in consultation with local government in Bass and there have been a number of infrastructure projects that I will be seeking support for in a Shorten Labor government, if elected.

The Morrison government is hopelessly divided. It seems a good lot of them couldn't count to 43 and then had to resort to bullying to change leaders. Not satisfied with fighting amongst themselves, they now want to pick a fight with all Tasmanians wherever they live.

Bill Shorten and Labor are united. They are ready to deliver for Tasmania, if a Shorten Labor government is elected. Unlike Scott Morrison's Liberals, our focus is on the community and not on ourselves. Tasmanians are rightly sick of being left off the map by this divided, unstable and illegitimate government. It's time for the Prime Minister to call an election and to bring down the curtain on his bunch of muppets. Clearly, a Shorten Labor government, if elected, will invest in jobs, invest in health and invest in education, which are all vitally important for my patch of northern Tasmania. Northern Tasmania will be more prosperous under a Shorten Labor government.