Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Brandis for the question. He just read out a list of cost increases imposed by state governments and asked me to take responsibility. I do not know whether the electricity prices he quotes are from the Western Australian Liberal government, the Victorian Liberal government or the New South Wales Liberal government. It is a ridiculous proposition for Senator Brandis to speak in that way. Western Australians know that, since the election of the Liberal government in Western Australia, their electricity prices have gone through the roof. Even the Premier, Mr Barnett, does not blame the federal Labor government for that. He blames his predecessors, he blames virtually everybody else, but even he does not blame us. Even he does not say, 'Electricity prices are a Commonwealth responsibility.' Senator Brandis, I am not sure how desperate the tactics committee got this morning. I think when you lead with Senator Joyce, you have clearly got pretty desperate. But, to be honest, to come into the chamber and say, 'It is four years and the world is ending,' is a complete nonsense.

This government has delivered a strong economy and a record number of jobs that have allowed Australians to come through the global financial crisis in very good shape. We are the envy of most other countries in the world. While doing that we have also provided tax cuts for middle-income families, we have increased the childcare tax rebate, we have delivered a paid parental leave scheme and we have made continuous improvements in the social conditions in this country, in addition to running a strong economy, a job-creating economy. We have also prepared for the future, with reforms like the MRRT, the NBN and the climate change legislation, which will serve this country well. (Time expired)