Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for that question and for his ongoing support for Western Sydney.

The reality that we have seen in this piece of paper, drafted apparently by the shadow finance minister, would have a dreadful effect on Western Sydney because it would involve not only people in Sydney paying more tax but would involve people being required to move out of Western Sydney and to go north. We know there are many public servants who live and work in Western Sydney. For example, we have in the High Street, Penrith, Centrelink office nearly 100 workers. Perhaps, Senator, you should go down there and tell them their jobs are safe, because we all know what your plans are. We saw what you did in Bankstown when you were previously in government, when you shut offices there. (Time expired)