Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One million Australians don't have a job. Four hundred thousand Australians will join them by Christmas. But, when Australians need support, this week the government has cut JobSeeker, cut JobKeeper and cut wages. They've made a provision for a $300 cut in wages. What the government has done this week will make the recession worse. Australians will be out of work for longer. More businesses will fold. Families will be worse off.

We don't need a government that just tells us how bad things are and picks fights through a recession. We have voted for every one of the government's stimulus packages—every one. The fact is this government is all marketing and no preparation—all slogan and no plan. The worst and most heartless thing you can do in a recession is cut support for the people who need it, but that's exactly what this government has done. The Treasurer will tell us what the unemployment rate is in Barcelona or Boston, but that's no comfort in Blacktown or Broadmeadows. The Prime Minister likes his nickname of 'ScoMo'. It should be 'ProMo'. He's all talk and no walk. There is no action when it comes to this government. It is all marketing and no substance. The fact is that, because of the actions of this government, this recession will go longer and be deeper. (Time expired)