Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Tuesday night I endured around half an hour of listening to what I've coined 'Labornomics'. This is where the Labor Treasurer of the day basically tells the parliament and the Australian people what cash they're going to splash around to fix the very problems that they've created. It's kind of like throwing someone overboard from a boat into a shark infested ocean, throwing them a lifesaving ring to save them—that they paid for—and then expecting thanks for it.

A classic example is the announcement on rental assistance. Like everyone, I want to see rental affordability improve. Better still, I'd like to see people get out of rentals and buy their own home, but I digress. Labor increases immigration, and therefore demand on housing; oversees 12 interest rate rises; and then, to fix this, uses taxpayers' money to raise rent assistance and subsidise the crisis that they created. And, by the way, that will by and large go to the landlord, not the tenant, who is meant to be the recipient. Many community housing providers take the rent assistance, whatever that amount, and then the tenant may or may not have to top this up.

You've only got to look at the childcare industry, where subsidies have been increased but providers have increased fees. I'm being continually contacted by constituents who are saying they are worse off financially since the rebate was increased. This is Labornomics. They simply don't understand the market. Well, the Australian people aren't stupid. They won't be taken as fools and they will see right through this for the expensive vote-grab that it is.