Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

It is relevant, Senator Macdonald, because this is about the scam you are attempting on this chamber. There is no urgency. The two people who could make this case are sitting right there. They could stand up and say, 'Senator Conroy, every word you have said is wrong, because we will not be calling a double-D on 11 May, the day after the budget.' This is the highest-taxing and highest-spending government in Australian history, but you claim to be the party of low tax. John Howard hit new records, and you are running second at the moment. You do not want to try to bring down a budget. You are terrified of the budget because your DNA is about cutting people's wages, cutting people's penalty rates, increasing the GST, cutting pensions and introducing $100,000 university degrees. That is what you want to introduce to this country. It is still your official policy. You still want to abolish the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

All of those things are part of the agenda that those opposite are trying to hide from us today with this weak attempt to pretend they are interested in disabled people. This chamber should see through it. You have tickled the tummy of a leader who is looking for friends. If you read his Facebook page—he is very popular on his Facebook page today—I think you should send him a like. Senator Ludlam, send Senator Di Natale a few likes on his Facebook page because he really needs them today. Send him a few likes. He is feeling a little bit tender because Greens supporters have woken up to another filthy deal to help this government. I say to the Greens: you protected tax avoiders with the government last time. Now you are giving them the loaded gun to abolish the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, introduce $100,000 university educations, put in place pension cuts, put in place cuts to penalty rates and increase the GST. That is what the Greens have signed up to. So just tickle their tummy again, Senator Cormann, and get them to vote with you on this. Senator Macdonald, I thought you were getting up again; I am quite disappointed.