Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I supported local government funding arrangements which recognised South Australia faced a higher cost burden to maintain these roads. I acknowledge my Liberal predecessor Senator Minchin. He introduced them; we maintained them. They have been scrapped by the Abbott government. This will hurt local government—local and regional councils. It will lead to the deterioration of our state's road network. Mr Briggs has cheered it on, and you opposite are being completely silent.

And now we have a third hit to South Australia: the government's move to abandon its promise to build 12 submarines in Adelaide—a brazen betrayal of our state. It will cost jobs and it will hurt the state's economy. What is up with the Liberal frontbenchers in this government. In the past South Australia has had passionate advocates in federal governments of both persuasions. But there are no Amanda Vanstones or Nick Minchins in this government—only a new generation of South Australia Liberal frontbenchers and backbenchers so spineless, or so ambitious, that they will not stand up for their home state. We see Mr Pyne cutting schools in his home state. We see Mr Briggs acting as cheerleader for his factional mate the Treasurer in his decision to abandon Holden and its workers. We see Senator Birmingham completely silent while the government threatens to dismantle the renewable energy target—another broken promise that would have a negative impact on South Australia's renewable energy industry. I never thought I would say this, but bring back Senator Minchin. Because all the fight has gone out of the South Australian Liberals. They might be too intimidated by the Prime Minister's office or perhaps too interested in personal ambition to stand up for their state.

But Labor will not stop fighting on this issue. We will hold this government to account and we will stand up for South Australia. We will stand up for our state and we will stand up for our fellow South Australians.