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

The simple fact is that we would not need to have this budget levy bill but for the deficit and debt disaster left to us by the previous Labor and Green government. So let us make no mistake as to the genesis of this particular legislation.

As is the wont with budgets, they go through all the normal processes, as did this particular budget. I also make the point that we on this side of the parliament actually embrace a great diversity of points of view within our parliamentary party. Unlike all those shoehorned into the party courtesy of the trade union movement and the trade union hacks that live on the other side, we have people who are willing to express a differing point of view without any fear of expulsion.