Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Acting Deputy President Stephens, if I had known how exciting it was down here after dark I would have come down here more frequently!

The coalition was elected with a clear promise to the people of Australia that we would stop the boats, and we would stop the debt and deficit problems that were plaguing this nation's long-term prosperity. These problems are not of our making, but we take the responsibility to fix them. Only by doing this can we build a prosperous future for all.

Let's take the first part of the coalition's promise—to stop the boats. The government has taken strong and decisive action to restore the integrity of our borders. Not a single people-smuggling venture has successfully landed in Australia this year. This has meant savings of $2.5 billion to the budget, and the closure of nine detention centres. It is clear we are delivering on this important election promise.

Now let's take the second promise—to address Australia's credit problems. This week our government has proven its willingness to make the difficult but necessary decisions so that we can ensure prosperity for all in the future. We are in a situation where we have to make significant changes to our budget structure. We have to be able to live within our means, and that means everybody is going to have to make a contribution. If we do not move now to fix the budget and to strengthen the economy it is only going to get much harder over time. On the back of five budget deficits in a row we have inherited $123 billion of deficits and debt, rising to a projected $667 billion if there are no structural changes to the budget process.

Treasury projects that without the policy change we have delivered this week, the budget will be in deficit for the next 10 years. This would be the longest stretch of deficits in this country since the Second World War. Decisive action is needed to prevent a tidal wave of debt swamping our nation's economic future. That was the promise we took to the people of Australia at the election. And that was the promise the Treasurer delivered in the House of Representatives chamber on Tuesday night.

This does not mean difficult decisions were not required. But we have never shied away from this commitment to the Australian people. While there has been disappointing but predictable criticism from some, they overlook the positive work this budget undertakes not only to address the nation's debt problems but also to begin the vital process of building a solid platform for Australia's future. For example, the coalition government are building Australia's transport infrastructure for the 21st century. Indeed, the Abbott government has made a record $13.4-billion investment to build the infrastructure needed for the 21st century in my state of Queensland. These funds are part of the government's economic action strategy to build a strong, prosperous economy, boost productivity and create thousands of new jobs.

The most important project in my area, though, is that of the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing. This includes the construction of a bypass to the north of Toowoomba, running from the Warrego Highway at Helidon in the east to the Gore Highway at Athol in the west. This project is essential for that part of the world. The coalition will also continue to work on the Warrego Highway in Queensland, delivering pavement widening and lane duplication, an additional overtaking lane and intersection safety upgrades. Better roads mean less congestion, faster travel times and lower fuel costs. The Abbott government's investment in Queensland will also improve freight transport linkages to key domestic and export markets.

The combined efforts of these projects will better equip rural and regional Australia to compete in the world marketplace. Our budget strikes a solid balance between the short-term pain of budget reform and the long-term national interest, because it frees up the funding needed to invest in economic infrastructure to safeguard the economy. We are preparing our nation for future prosperity.

On the whole, the government has delivered a balanced and credible budget, designed to repair the budget and build a strong and prosperous economy for decades to come. But there is still much work to be done and this government is focused on laying the foundations so that future generations might benefit. What we did this week was deliver an honest and fair budget. We believe it is a budget that has kept faith with the commitments that we took to the last election. We are asking everyone across Australia to contribute and to help us rebuild, and build a stronger economy and get the budget back on track for future generations.

Sitting suspended from 18:00 to 20:00