Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In May, the Australian people will have a choice to make—a choice that will affect the future of our country. They will need to choose a government that they believe will take this country in the right direction. Every Australian will need to ask themselves, 'Am I better off today than I was three years ago?' The simple answer for the vast majority is no.

Our country needs a government that is focused on the right priorities, both for today and for future generations. We need a government that is dedicated to meaningful change not empty ideology and tokenism. We need a government that will not be distracted by the whims of a few and that is dedicated to governing for the needs of the many. And regional Australians, the people I represent, they need a government that doesn't treat them as an afterthought or second-class citizens. The regions matter. Regional people matter, and they have been ignored.

Only a coalition government will cut the waste and curb inflation to address our cost-of-living crisis. Only the Nationals in government will allocate critical infrastructure funding to the regions where it is desperately needed. Only the Nationals in government will prioritise regional communities for better access to health care, aged care and child care. I urge Australians to think carefully about what their vote and preferences mean. And to regional Australia: you know we cannot afford another three years of Labor.