Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

( The coalition well understands why the member for Lyne has initiated the Auditor-General Amendment Bill 2011. The member for Lyne is part of and supports a government that has a devastating track record of waste and mismanagement. Clearly the member for Lyne is embarrassed that he is part of such a government, because he knows that the failures of the Gillard-Brown government are also his failures. The waste and mismanagement that has been inflicted on the Australian people by this incompetent Labor-Green government is also his responsibility, so he is trying to do what he thinks he can do to somehow find a way to put some additional checks and balances into the system. I well understand his motivations, and they are laudable, though I would urge the member for Lyne to reflect on whether there might be a more effective way for him to ensure that Australians can benefit from better government, because this government cannot be helped. This government will never become a good government, even with any additional checks and balances and red tape that might be put into place through legislation like this.

The main purpose of the Auditor-General Amendment Bill 2011 is to extend the powers of the Auditor-General to audit not only government entities and agencies but also contracting third parties. As my good friend and colleague Senator Ryan has told the chamber, the coalition supports the intent of this legislation, though in its current form we cannot support this bill without a number of amendments which Senator Ryan has circulated on behalf of the coalition. Firstly, this bill creates an increase in the regulatory burden on Australian business. As I look at the activities of this high-spending, high-taxing, high-red-tape government, I remember this quote from former US President Ronald Reagan, who said about government's view of the economy:

If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

That is the economic policy of the Gillard-Brown Labor government. If it moves, they will tax it. If it keeps moving, they will find ways to regulate it. And, if it stops moving, Kim Il Carr, Senator Carr, will come in and say, 'Let's subsidise it.' That is the way the government goes about things. That is what the carbon tax is all about: 'Let's tax the hell out of Australian business. Let's really make it hard for them to make a quid. Let's work as hard as we can as a government to make Australian businesses less competitive than higher-emitting businesses in China and other places around the world. Then let's put in some more regulation. Then, when businesses get in trouble, let's subsidise them.' This is just ridiculous.

This Labor government is a high-taxing, high-regulating government, even though in the lead-up to the last election it promised us new and refreshed rigour in deregulation. For every new regulation, they were going to abolish one. I think that is what they said. Senator Ryan, is that right? Is my recollection correct?