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

The arrogance of the Labor Party is breathtaking! The disrespect of the Australian Labor Party for the Australian people is breathtaking. The Labor Party clearly still does not respect the verdict of the Australian people at the election.

They are so arrogant that they think that somehow the Australian people got it wrong. They are so arrogant that they can't get used to the fact that they are still sitting on the opposition benches. Here they are! We want to ensure that we can look after farmers in drought-stricken communities. We want to ensure that we can provide additional support for regional communities in drought affected areas in a fiscally sustainable fashion. And what are they doing? They are playing political games! They are hurting so much about the fact that the Australian people denied them their God-given right to govern! They still can't believe the fact that the Australian people made such a terrible misjudgement—in their view—that they chose our plan for a stronger economy and for more jobs, and our agenda for lower taxes for aspiration and for opportunity against their agenda of higher taxes and the politics of envy and of class warfare, which the Australian people know would have made our country weaker, would have made the economy weaker and would have left every Australian worse off.

In the last sitting week they had more positions on tax than in the Kama Sutra. I'll say it again! They went to the election campaigning for $387 billion in higher taxes, which would have harmed our country, which would have harmed working families around Australia and which would have left every Australian worse off.

They should be ashamed of themselves for the stance they are trying to pull in the Senate here tonight. They should be absolutely ashamed! The Australian people will rightly condemn them for the stance they're pulling tonight because this is only about one thing: this is about the Labor Party trying to prevent the Australian parliament from dealing with another important coalition reform, which is to provide additional support for farmers and for rural communities in a way that is affordable and sustainable in the budget.

They are so arrogant and so disrespectful of the Australian people; it is breathtaking. Guess what? The Australian people made a considered judgement. The Australian people looked at their agenda of higher taxes, of sneering at the top end of town, of the politics of envy and turning Australian against Australian, and they decided they didn't want it. Get used to it! They decided that they didn't want it, so get used to it. They voted for our agenda to support aspiration and to support hardworking families wanting to get ahead. That is why they appreciate the fact that the Australian Senate in the last sitting week voted for our plan for lower income taxes in full.