Stephen Jones (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This has been an extraordinary week. The Prime Minister, who has spent 13 years campaigning against debt and deficit, has delivered the biggest deficit and the biggest debt in our nation's history. It is $220 billion, leading to an extraordinary debt of $1 trillion. You'd think that, with these astronomical numbers, we'd have something to show for it. But, still, so many people have been left behind. Unemployment is going up at the same time as support for unemployed people is going down. Some 160,000 people are going to lose their jobs between now and Christmas, and 900,000 older Australians on unemployment benefits are being left behind. Child care remains unaffordable. Alan Jones has described the situation in aged care as a national disgrace, but still they have no answer for it. When challenged about his woeful program, this Prime Minister gets defensive. The same guy who doesn't hold a hose and who walks away from the crisis in child care has the temerity to label anybody who challenges his plan as lacking credibility. This is the guy who lacks credibility. (Time expired)

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

In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded.