Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Minister, you and other members of your government consistently say that it is the financial position you inherited which is the reason you can't provide more support for Australians getting smashed by the cost-of-living crisis, yet last week your government delighted US and British weapons manufacturers by signing up to a $368 billion deal for nuclear powered submarines. Minister, how are you ever going to look Australians in the eye again and tell them that you can't afford to put dental and mental health into Medicare, that you can't afford to raise the rate of income support and that you can't afford to wipe student debt when you are prepared to splash $368 billion on the AUKUS subs?