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

We on this side of the chamber know that this government has brought down an unfair budget. We know that each and every one of the last three budgets they have brought down has had a cut to aged care in this country. We on this side of the chamber know that, for whatever reason, it is not just unemployed kids that the government do not like; they do not like older Australians. We know that they have no concern when it comes to those people who are living with dementia. We have seen the cuts that they have made to support for those people with dementia and their carers trying to live in the community. We know after almost three years that this government have no other plan other than the plan to secure their own re-election that has been propped up by the budget.

The Australian community will have a very stark choice when they go to the ballot box. Labor will put up further policies. We already have out there 100 policies that are costed. They will have a stark choice. The Liberal government has continued to make cuts to health, education, aged care and dementia care. We know that they cannot be trusted. Whatever they say today and before the election on 2 July, we know they will not deliver on their promises. That has been proven time and time again. They shafted a Prime Minister because they thought they might win an election. What do we do? We have a Prime Minister who talked about innovation. What has he delivered? Nothing but a backward-looking budget—a budget that will do nothing at all for the Australian community and certainly nothing for the Tasmanian community.