Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Indeed the Turnbull government is totally focused on increasing revenue to ensure we can fund a very generous social safety net and the best way to do it is by growing the economy more strongly. If only the socialists and the Greens were not standing in the way of things like important investment in productivity-enhancing infrastructure like the $1.2 billion investment in the Perth Freight Link, the economy would be in much better shape right now. Thousands of Western Australian construction workers would be working now on the Perth Freight Link if it had not been for the activities Senator Ludlam and his cohort trying to frustrate the initiatives of democratically elected governments in Western Australia and in Australia trying to ensure that we have got the most efficient and most productive trading infrastructure possible.

The Turnbull government unashamedly pursues a pro-growth, pro-jobs agenda, because that, among other things—such as helping families across Australia to get ahead, as well as making sure that we can continue to lift living standards across Australia—delivers a revenue dividend for the budget. Pursuing Labor-Greens policies of higher taxes, budget deficits and more debt—which is deferred taxation—and, of course, frustrating free trade agreements and frustrating infrastructure investment makes it harder for business to be successful. It makes it harder for business to employ more Australians. It makes it harder for the budget to be able to receive more revenue. If Senator Whish-Wilson is so keen on more revenue for the government he should be supporting the pro-growth policies of the Turnbull government so that we can make bigger investments into a sustainably funded, affordable and important social safety net. (Time expired)