Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McGrath for that very important question. Indeed, in the five years we've been in government, we have been able to increase the level of investment in most of the essential services that Australians expect without the need to make decisions to increase the tax burden on the economy. Our expenditure on hospitals went from about $16 billion in 2012-13 to about $23 billion in 2018. That is an increase of about 42 per cent. Indeed, over the period of the current forward estimates, it will go up about 63 per cent all up. Schools went from $14 billion to $20 billion. Child care went from $4.6 billion to $8 billion and will increase by more than 100 per cent in the period to 2021-22. Indeed, for the NDIS, there was no expenditure on the NDIS in 2013. Today we are spending $17 billion, and that is projected to increase to about $24 billion by 2021-22—and all of that without having to make decisions to increase the overall tax burden in the economy. In fact, we got rid of Labor's mining tax, we got rid of Labor's carbon tax and we reduced taxes for small and medium-sized businesses across the economy. We have delivered income tax relief to the tune of about $144 billion for hardworking families right across Australia while increasing government investment in the important services that Australians rely on.

How have we done it? Our lower-taxing agenda helped to deliver stronger economic growth, with more Australians employed, more Australians paying personal income tax and fewer Australians claiming as much in welfare, because they've got a job. That is how you put the budget on a strong and sustainable foundation for the future. That is how you pay for the important services in hospitals, schools, child care, NDIS, aged care—you name it. (Time expired)