Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

I can't let this go unchallenged. I listened to Senator Whish-Wilson and his comments that we want to cut services. He made a list of where cuts have been made. I think the majority of Australians have no doubt that the ABC budget should be cut back, and it has been cut back, to the tune of about $84 million. But let's have a look at the Greens. What they're saying is that they are concerned about services here in Australia. They want to make sure that there are good educational services and good hospital care for the Australian people. Yet, if they had their way, our foreign aid would go up to $12.28 billion. That's not for Australians. That's to go overseas. They're worried about everyone else around the world. They're not worried about the Australian people here. Where's their concern? They are saying that the people here, hardworking Australians, are not entitled to a tax cut because we need the money for services. How can they say that when they're supposed to be here representing the Australian people and yet they're prepared to say they want over $12 billion to go on foreign aid if they had their way? So I think it is not fair to make that comment. They need to start focusing on Australia and the Australian people, because they want to open up the floodgates to 50,000 refugees. Every refugee in this country in detention costs the Australian taxpayer $572,000. That is a huge cost to the taxpayers. They want to start focusing on what is right for this country and the Australian people.

As I said earlier, the Australian people are doing it tough because of extra costs due to the Greens pushing for renewables. That has escalated the cost of living for every Australian. The cost of electricity is out of control. I was just over in England with a delegation. An average family is charged 500 pounds to 600 pounds a year for electricity. An average household here is looking at around $2,000 a year. This is due to the Greens and the Labor Party wanting to raise the cost of renewables and the billions that will be paid to foreign companies. No-one is really addressing this. So stop tinkering around the edges. Be up-front and honest with the Australian people. Give the Australian people some assistance, because that's what they're crying out for. You are obviously not listening to them.