Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Before I start talking I notice that the acting Manager of Government Business spoke about the fact that we were not addressing the motion but rather the substance of other issues and then moved straight away to talk about the substance of other issues. I feel as if I have a licence to do so.

Clearly, what we have seen today is another broken promise from this Labor government. When Senator McLucas says the outcome of this motion getting up would be to remove these bills from the Notice Paper, she is absolutely right. That is exactly what we want to do. We want to remove this because we want to keep you to the promise you have made over successive elections. We want you to keep your word to the Australian people, as you did before the last election and the election before that, about what you were going to do. It reminds me of what you have done in relation to the carbon tax, another broken promise. You go into election campaigns, say one thing and then do another.

Do you know how many people supported you on the back of your firm, non-negotiable commitment to keep the private health insurance rebate? Tens of thousands of Australians were warned you would do this, but they said, 'No, surely not.' As Senator Fifield said: 'They believed you. We warned them of what you were going to do.' You sit here and laugh as if it is funny that you can break an election commitment and it is worth giggling about, Senator McLucas. If you find those sorts of things funny, then I think that is a gross indictment on the party that you represent. You broke this promise. You went to two elections saying you would not do it and you have broken it. You went to the last election with a promise on the carbon tax and you broke that. (Time expired)