Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to take note of answers given by government ministers in question time today, particularly with respect to interest rates, housing affordability and the future for small business in this country. The Labor senators have been waxing lyrical on the other side and talking about the fact that Mr Howard, as Prime Minister, is anti-families. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reason that this government has been so successful over many years—in fact, 11½ years—is that this is a government for families. This government has shown passion, compassion, care and support for families throughout Australia, not only in the big cities but in the rural and regional parts of Australia, including in my home state of Tasmania.

It is quite obvious to me that the Labor senators have become very cocky on the back of some recent polling. They are acting as though they are already government senators. They are very quietly and sneakily acting and strategising to ensure that some of their policies come to fruition.

The only way that the goods and services tax in this country can increase is as a result of wallpaper Labor governments in the states and territories and at a federal level. The only way the 10 per cent GST can go up in Australia is as a result of a Rudd Labor government being elected. I throw out the warning to the Australian people and to those in this chamber that I see the Labor senators being very cocky. They are sneakily going around and strategising how they can quietly and sneakily bring this GST into fruition if they gain government, and that is something that I am very worried about.