Michelle Ananda-Rajah (Higgins, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our budget puts people first—people like our veterans, people who were treated as a line item on a spreadsheet by the Liberals. I didn't think it was possible, but the party of robodebt have outdone themselves this time. 'Delay, deny and die,' was the catchcry from veterans, and cry they did, as their claims were kicked into the long grass. Processing times of over 400 days were the norm when we came to government. People lost hope. Many deteriorated. Some died. All suffered, and so did their loved ones. Why and how? The Liberals' ideological bent for small government, held like an article of faith, and their disdain for public servants, preferring consultants, had something to do with it. Plus, as revealed by one of their own, process was not improved because there was no political advantage.

There is no descriptor for this violation of trust, this violation of leadership and this violation of our duty of care to people who defend this nation. How the remnants of that awful government sit in this chamber is beyond belief. Former Liberal cabinet members should resign, but not before a trip to the confessional, asking for absolution. Let history show that it took a humble, diligent Labor minister, Matt Keogh, to put aside politics for people, to hire more staff and to clear the backlog, slashing determination times from 440 days to 60 days, while kicking an additional $6.5 billion into this process. Never forget this violation and that those responsible— (Time expired)