Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to thank Senator Cameron for his contributions. I heard his contributions yesterday and he again said that somehow it was a bad thing that we were ideologically based. I have got to say to him, again: absolutely, we are. We are based in sound philosophies. Despite the absolute mess you left us, we have taken responsibility for dealing with it. You have adopted a year zero approach: what debt, what issues and what problems? We clearly have a very different perspective on success.

Our economy is growing at 2.7 per cent. The best you achieved is 1.9 per cent. Last year, we did create 213,000 jobs and 223,000 new companies, which are all employing Australians. Retail trade figures are up for seven months in a row. We have scrapped the carbon tax, which is at a tangible benefit of $550 per family. Wonderfully for our states, we have scrapped that ridiculous mining tax that you spent against where you never raised any money. We have got $50 billion in infrastructure packages to create new wealth and new jobs. We have 85 projects underway already in 18 months with another 94 underway.

We have made a decision on the new Western Sydney airport. After 10 years of discussion—in which you did nothing—for our free-trade agreement, we have now got three free-trade agreements, which represents over 50 per cent of our exports. We have got $1 trillion in new environmental approvals. Again, they are to create the jobs of the future. We have cut $2 billion in red tape, which was strangling our small businesses. We are putting in place the long-term structural reforms to fix your budget mess. We have stopped the boats. To me, that is success in 18 months.