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

Thank you very much, Mr President. My answer very directly to the question is that the coalition will always do what is right by the economy, will always take decisions based on wanting to deliver stronger growth and more jobs, and that is what we will do in relation to our plan for low electricity prices and more reliable energy supplies, unlike the Labor Party. Mr Ross Hart, the member for Bass, was so embarrassed by what Mr Shorten did yesterday to small business in Tasmania that he wasn't even prepared to back him up. What I would say to the good people of Braddon is: if the Labor member for Bass is not prepared to back up Mr Shorten's plan for higher taxes on business, don't vote for Bill Shorten's candidate in Braddon, because he will send your jobs overseas; he will drive your wages down. Not even the Labor member for Bass agrees with Mr Shorten's plan for higher taxes on business. In fact, this is what I would say to the Labor voters in Braddon: if you want a more sensible Labor leader, if you want a Labor leader that is not at war with business, put Bill Shorten's candidate last, because that would get us Anthony Albanese as the Leader of the Labor Party. Every Labor voter in Braddon who wants a change of leadership in the Labor Party, put Bill Shorten's candidate in Braddon last. Not even the Labor member for Bass is prepared to back Bill Shorten up, because he is reckless to the economy. It is Bill Shorten and the Labor Party that want to destroy our economy and want to destroy jobs.