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

This situation is outrageous. Have we really fallen this far? Is this the fix that this government is talking about?

I turn to the local member for the federal electorate of Bass in Tasmania. He has constantly failed to stand up for and speak up on behalf of his constituency. He has not come out and defended those people in our community who are concerned about the introduction of a GP tax. He supported the government's attack on higher education. He has done nothing but deny that the government is changing the indexation of the pension for those in our community who have worked hard and pay their taxes. He is extremely vocal and proactive when someone criticises him, but he never stands up for the people who matter—and they are the people who put him in this place. Unfortunately, he is one of those MPs who overreacts to those people who disagree with him. It does not matter if you are an academic or a journalist who is writing up a story that is contrary to the government's position. I ask him to consider taking on board the concerns that are raised with him and in this place rather than coming out and attacking people individually.

This government are not a government for everyone. This government are only concerned with governing for themselves and for those who support them at the big end of town. We know that whenever the Liberals have been in government they have always attacked and directed their negative policies at those who can least afford them. It is in their DNA.

Let's look at the dysfunctional budget and the black hole for a moment. The failed GP co-payment will cost $3.5 billion. The failed university fee policy will cost $640 million. The failed welfare reform will cost $1.2 billion. This is just a snapshot of the failed policies of the Abbott Liberal government's budget. So how will they make up this shortfall? I will tell you how. It will be through more surprises. It will be through more policies of surprise from people like 'Mr Fixer'. Despite their election commitment to not be a government of surprises, over the last year and a half—