Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

I would be embarrassed to try to put an argument opposed to that of Senator Fierravanti-Wells because it is an embarrassment to have someone come into this chamber and mislead the community the way that she has this afternoon. I rise on this matter of public importance to indict this so-called government which continues to attack those living on low and limited incomes; a government which continues to look to its own self-interest while subverting the national interest; a government which is calculating callous and heartless policies; a government which lacks a real plan for the unemployed and job seekers.

The Abbott government continues to try to pass bills which, at their very centre, are detrimental to the Australian community and specifically to those on low incomes. Before this government took office it had job seekers in its sights and after the first Abbott-Hockey budget we knew they were under attack. I do not know about you, Mr Acting Deputy President, but that does scare me. This government's measures will hit my home state the hardest. This is why I stand here today to do everything in my power to protect the interests of Tasmanians and to protect the individuals who are looking for work or who have just lost their job and who we know have an uncertain future.

When you lose your job it is one of the most difficult periods in your life. I have experienced this first-hand in my own family, as I am sure many on this side of the chamber have. It is a time of uncertainty, stress and anxiety. Your future is suddenly uncertain, your way of life has changed for the worse and you need all the support you can possibly get. Australia has always been a place where, when you are down on your luck, someone is there to help you; the government is there to say, 'We know you're down on your luck and we'll invest in you to get you back on your feet.' This is a wonderful quality; it is perhaps the quality that makes this country so great. Unfortunately, this grand principle no longer exists in this country under this government because those opposite feel compelled to destroy it. Young people under 30 who are unemployed and are looking to better themselves by finding a job will now be forced to wait six months before receiving any support—and in many cases it will be much longer.

Because of the Abbott's government's mindset this country is currently going through a transition; a transition of great proportions. But it is not a good transition. Those opposite are intentionally taking us down a path of destruction. This will lead to the destruction of the principles of equity and compassion, two of the most important principles of any government and ones that every single government in this country should aspire to. Try telling that to this government! Just try—they do not listen.

Before going down this path did those opposite consult with social welfare groups? No. Did they consult with job seekers? No. Did they consult with job agencies? No. Did they consult with local government? No. Did they consult with the social housing sector? No. I agree with the views of the chief executive of the St Vincent de Paul Society, that this government must be condemned for taking away from those who have nothing in the first place.

The first thing Mr Wrecking Ball himself—our Prime Minister—did when he became the leader of this country was to tell the public service to cut; cut spending at all costs. He said, 'It doesn't matter what spending you cut—just make savings wherever you can find them.'

Now you would think that any government would put some caveat on this. You would think that they would say explicitly, 'Don't cut spending on the poor, or the sick, or pensioners, or students, or low-income earners or job seekers.' But they did not consult. This government said, 'Let's find savings wherever they can be found and let's go after those most vulnerable in our society. We will hit the poor, the sick, pensioners, job seekers, the downtrodden and those down on their luck. Oh, and while we're at it we will cut the company tax rate by 1.5 per cent,' because according to those opposite—according to Liberal Party ideology—the corporate sector always needs assistance. According to this government if you are not the corporate sector or if you are not a big business then you are an easy target.

We, as Australian citizens, have always believed that if you are down on your luck you should be given a hand up—not a handout but a hand up. We have always had a safety net in this country. This is Australia, and here in Australia we have always supported those who are out of work or who are unable to find a job. Effectively, what this government is saying to young people in this country is, 'You're on your own!' They are saying that if you lose your job there is no safety net—there is no assistance: 'You're on your own, and don't think this government will provide you with any assistance.'

Now I am not the enemy of Work for the Dole, but if there are no jobs then people are in the same position: they are cut loose by the government and have no support. Labor is not against simplification of the welfare system, but we will not support further cuts to vulnerable Australians. So far, we have seen nothing from Tony Abbott that indicates he wants to help people—nothing to indicate that he wants to support people on income support. He just wants to hurt them.

If a person is unable to find work within six months, then they will be required to take part in a Work for the Dole scheme. Now, that is assuming that there is a job to go to. What if there are no jobs to apply for? What if it is like my home state, where the before the state Liberal government had even brought down its first budget it said to the public service, 'You will be cut'?

Let us assume, just for a moment, that they work for the dole for six months. Then what? They will be cut loose by those opposite and will lose support payments for a further six months. Those opposite are effectively creating a cycle of endless despair for those looking for work. Let us not be mistaken: when you lose your job you are in a crisis situation. My home state of Tasmania, a state which currently suffers from debilitating youth unemployment, will be most affected in this country.

I would also encourage those opposite to try telling people who lose their job and cannot find work that the government will not provide them with any support. We know that the new member for Bass has deserted his community because when this government cut Australian Taxation Office workforce jobs in Launceston he was nowhere to be found. He was silent. We know that those opposite will not come and assist those who need it most.

I was at a rally against this budget, and I agree with Captain Kevin Lumb from the Salvation Army, who addressed that rally in Launceston. He said that such lack of support for the unemployed will lead to poverty, homelessness, increased crime and even suicide. My Senate colleagues and I share Captain Lumb's concerns. This is a government which understands that this decision will lead to increased poverty, and they do not care. They just do not care and they do not understand what the crisis that the real people in this country—the people who are out of work—are in. Labor does not support the measures of those opposite.

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

I will take that interjection. That is so typical of Senator Macdonald, because he does not care. I do not see him standing up here. The only time he stands up and criticises his government is when he has been dumped from the ministry! A lot of these people who are going to be cut are not given any assistance and never have that opportunity. They will be denied being able to go to university through all the cuts that they have made to higher education. We also know that the cuts they have made to those people who are trying to see a GP means that they will have to pay $7. We know that they do not care because they have demonstrated it day in and day out when they come into this chamber. He should be ashamed of his government. He should be standing up to the Prime Minister and Joe Hockey and speaking up for those people who are the most vulnerable in this community. He should be ashamed. (Time expired)