Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by Opposition senators today.

As we end 2012 we see a government in shambolic disarray, a government that has no agenda other than spin; a government that is being led around by the nose by the Australian Greens; a government that promised there would be no carbon tax and then foisted a destructive carbon tax on all Australians; a government that promised every year 9 to 12 child access to their own computer at school, a plan announced on 14 November 2007, a plan that failed to reach its targets, a plan was abandoned this year; a government that promised to take over public hospitals if the states did not act by mid-2009, a plan announced before the 2007 election, where the deadlines have not been met and the plan now thoroughly abandoned; a government that promised that the Commonwealth share of hospital funding would increase to 60 per cent. That was announced by Ms Gillard on 29 November 2010 and abandoned on 11 February 2011.

This is a government that promised to establish a citizens assembly on climate change, a plan announced on 23 July 2010 and abandoned on 7 October 2010; a government that promised Grocery Choice and Petrol Watch, both abandoned; a government that promised an East Timor solution and a Malaysian solution, both in tatters; a government that promised to build 64 GP Super Clinics, a plan that was abandoned after only 36 were built; a government that promised to establish a department of homeland security, announced prior to 2007, a plan that was abandoned within days of Labor taking office; a government that promised to establish 260 new childcare centres, a plan announced before the 2007 election. They funded 38 centres and the plan has now been completely abandoned.

This is a government that promised to require full mandatory precommitment technology for all poker machines, announced in September 2010, abandoned in January 2012; a government that promised to establish a trade centre in every Australian secondary school, announced before the 2007 election, a plan that has now been abandoned; a government that promised a real increase in the defence funding base by an average of three per cent each year through to 2017-18, a plan announced in August 2010, abandoned in the budget of May 2011.

And if that is not enough, this is now the government that seeks to spin and promise a National Disability Insurance Scheme, a dental scheme, a Gonski scheme—all hollow, cynical promises. Australians are deservedly distrusting of this government. And why wouldn't they be? Mr Rudd does not trust the Prime Minister, she who claims that she was foisted into the job of Prime Minister, yet conveniently overlooked that she had prepared the acceptance speech 14 days beforehand. People with private health insurance know they cannot trust this Prime Minister and government. Mr Wilkie, the member for Denison, knows that he cannot trust this Prime Minister and government over poker machines. The car industry knows that they cannot trust this government with a more than $6 billion plan, a plan which has now been absolutely slashed. The State of Israel knows that they cannot trust the Australian government, and of course all Australians know that they cannot trust this government because of that broken promise in relation to a carbon tax.

So as we end the year 2012, we have a government that is in shambolic policy disarray. We also have a Prime Minister who is in personal credibility disarray given the revelations today that have blown out of the water all her pathetic defences to date in relation to the Australian Workers Union scandal. The coalition provides hope, reward and opportunity for the future of this great country. (Time expired)