Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

Clearly we have started the election campaign today. It's particularly disappointing that we can operate respectfully for the 2¾ years of an election term and then, all of a sudden, when the time comes, the Greens decide they're going to pull some sort of childish protest-party stunt. And, really disappointingly, the Labor Party decide that they're going to pile on as well.

The reality is that we have lived in the most unprecedented of times for the last two years. A once-in-a-lifetime pandemic hit the world. If you look at Australia's track record over the last couple of years, we have the highest vaccination rates of just about any country in the world and we have seen a relatively low number of people lose their lives as a result of COVID. That doesn't in any way diminish the pain and suffering of the people who have lost a loved one as a result of COVID, but it does point to the fact that the provisions and the actions taken by this government have reduced the number of people who, sadly, would have died from COVID. But, at the same time as having high vaccination rates and a relatively low death rate, we have also maintained a strong economy, which all of the experts are suggesting is well placed to rebound from the latest strain, omicron, which has had such a devastating effect across Australia in recent months.

There was no rule book for this. I love the heroes of hindsight that come in here, pretending that they could have done this all so much better—because they can look back and learn about the experiences that we have had and undertaken over two years. They sit here and pass judgement. Well, I've got to say: heroes of hindsight are not people that will make good leaders, and, for the sake of this country, I hope that we don't see a situation where the Australian Greens are in partnership with the Labor Party and inflict on the Australian population the kinds of ridiculous behaviour that we've seen in this place, particularly things like this stunt.

I also find it really quite extraordinary to come in here and hear the accusations about lies and dishonesty. There is nothing more dishonest than running a scare campaign, telling older Australians that the coalition government intends to put them on the cashless debit card. You know that's not true. You know that is an absolute abject lie and yet you're more than happy to allow your members to post this kind of stuff on their social media sites. You defend it. There is not a skerrick of truth in what you're running as a campaign. So there is some level of irony in you coming in here and making comments about lies when the fact is that you are lying to the Australian public. You are lying to older Australians, trying to scare them into voting for you in an absolutely shameless campaign. You have no regard whatsoever for older Australians who are scared by the kinds of tactics you use. It is absolutely disgraceful. Maybe you should have a look at some of the things that you're doing.

This government has a proud track record in government. Over the last three years, we have achieved some extraordinary things in extraordinary times. We sit here today with 1.1 million more Australians in work than when the pandemic hit. We stand here today with an unemployment rate of 4.2 per cent. I think it was Mr Chalmers who commented, when the pandemic started: 'This government will be judged on how many people become unemployed during the pandemic. You will be singularly judged on unemployment.' Well, with a 4.2 per cent unemployment rate and a prediction by many economists and leading lights in Australia that that number could potentially have a three in front of it by the end of the year, I think that we have probably passed Mr Chalmers's test of making sure that we protected Australians' jobs through the pandemic. We did this because we put in place JobKeeper and supported other Australians with the coronavirus supplement, to help Australians through this pandemic. In doing so, we ensured that our economy was strong and was able to rebound after the pandemic had gone through. So to come in here with these pathetic stunts, as the start of an election campaign, makes the Australian Greens look like the disgrace they really are.