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

We are pursuing policies to provide equality of opportunity because we want every individual Australian to have the best possible opportunity to get ahead. That is why, among other things, we are pursuing policies to provide a safety net for those in need of support but also to encourage reward for effort and hard work and to encourage Australians to do the best they can so that Australians today and future generations of Australians can have the best possible opportunity to succeed, because pursuing equality of outcome leaves everyone worse off. The evidence is in. The case studies around the world have demonstrated that, if you pursue policies designed to achieve equality of outcome, you leave everyone worse off and the people that get hurt the most are low- and middle-income earners. Labor don't care about the opportunities for low- and middle-income earners. Labor just want to pursue an outdated socialist agenda— (Time expired)