Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Hansard source

President, it's about productivity and this government's inability to invest in things that will make the economic situation better. Making a small change to the Medicare levy, as this bill does, is not enough. I hope later on today I get to make a contribution on the appropriation bills because I have a lot more to say about my portfolio responsibilities in infrastructure, transport and regional development, and this government's failure to listen to the regions and invest in the regions. I think Senator Rennick made a very generous contribution about the contribution regional Australia has made to the fiscal position of the government. Despite having deficits for as far as we can see and having a $185 billion increase in government spending over the next five years, they were very happy to announce a small surplus. Do you know what that surplus is on the back of? Rural and regional Australia.

Those on that side of the chamber don't want to talk about our fabulous resources industry, our agriculture industry and the men and women in this country who work day in and day out and pay their income tax. So a boon from income tax, because we've got such low unemployment at the moment, and a boon from our resources industry are the only reasons this government can claim a surplus.

I hope they're prepared to take the tough fiscal decisions, going forward. The first 12 months from this government has been an absolute shocker in terms of being prepared to make those tough decisions that our economy, our nation and our most vulnerable need them to make. The people who will hurt the most if inflation stays high are our poorest. Instead of talking a big game—you've won the election and it's tough being in government—it's time to act.