Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

These bills are being put forward in the context of a cost-of-living crisis. There is absolutely no doubt that under the Labor Albanese government Australia is in a cost-of-living crisis. Every time the senators in this place go back to their home states and talk to their constituents, to families in their home states—in my case the state of Queensland—the cost-of-living crisis its impact on Queensland families is underlined to them.

When Senator Hume, on behalf of the coalition, made her opening contribution in relation to this bill she referred to the hearings of the Select Committee on the Cost of Living. The Senate formed a cost-of-living committee to look at the issue of cost-of-living in this context. The committee visited Gladstone, and Senator Hume conveyed to this chamber how, when she visited Gladstone in the context of that cost-of-living committee, Gladstone council conveyed to the committee that there are young people living in my home state of Queensland, in Gladstone, who are making decisions now as to whether they pay the rent or whether they go and see a GP to get medical care. Those are the sorts of decisions people are making today in the middle of this cost-of-living crisis.

I am seeing exactly the same thing where my office is located, in the greater Ipswich region. Most of Ipswich is located within the federal seat of Blair, a Labor-held seat. There was research released this week in relation to bulk-billing rates in GP medical clinics in the federal seat of Blair—indeed, across the whole of Australia. What did that research indicate, Mr Deputy President? It indicated that over the course of 2023—only 12 months—the number of GP medical clinics in the federal seat of Blair, which includes much of Ipswich, fell from 26 to 15—26 down to 15.

So that means, for an adult who isn't on a concession and who contacts a GP medical clinic in the City of Ipswich within the Labor-held federal seat of Blair, that the number of medical clinics offering bulk-billing in the region where my office is located has fallen from 26 to 15, a 36 per cent drop over the course of just 12 months. That is a staggering fall in just 12 months, and that is under the watch of the Albanese Labor government.

We are in a cost-of-living crisis. There is absolutely no doubt about it, and that is why the coalition is not going to stand in the way of providing tax cuts to Australians who are in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis—from 19 per cent to 16 per cent. We can't stand in the way of that tax relief for Australians who are doing it tough. But Australians must always remember that this bill which we're debating today means that Australians cannot take the Labor government at its word with respects to any tax matter. Remember when the Prime Minister said, 'My word is my bond'? This bill demonstrates that the Prime Minister's word is not his bond. This bill demonstrates that Labor cannot be trusted with respect to whatever it says and whatever it commits to with respects to taxation, whether it's in relation to negative gearing, capital gains tax, franking credits or superannuation. Whatever it is, this bill demonstrates and is evidence—exhibit A—that the Albanese Labor government cannot be trusted with respect to anything that it says in relation to tax. It will promise one thing before an election and then do something else after an election.

There's one other matter which Senator Hume touched upon that I want to address in my remarks in relation to this legislation. I genuinely think this is appalling. It is absolutely appalling. On the same day that the Albanese Labor government announced $14 million of funding for food relief agencies—and the food bank in the greater Ipswich region, where my office is located, is telling me they're seeing a lot of people and working families they've never seen before. I've actually spoken to a lot of those people at the food bank at Ipswich Assist in Ipswich, and I pay tribute to all of the volunteers at Ipswich Assist—Jason and his team. They're seeing people they've never seen before. On the same day that the federal government announced $14 million of funding for food relief agencies, the coalition discovered that the Labor government is spending $40 million on marketing this bill—this broken promise. Can you believe that?

Just think about it. We're in a cost-of-living crisis, our food relief agencies are seeing people they've never seen before, and the Albanese Labor government is providing $14 million for food relief agencies but spending $40 million—nearly three times as much—to market their broken promise. How contemptible! It is shameful. That is $14 million to help food relief agencies and $40 million on marketing, which is not necessary at all. It is absolutely not necessary. There isn't a question of you needing to apply for the tax cuts under this bill. They work automatically through the ATO. There's no educational component to this whatsoever. It's not as if you've got to educate people to participate in a government scheme. It's shameful, but it is even more shameful when you put that expenditure of $40 million on a marketing campaign against $14 million of relief for food relief agencies. There could be no better example that the Albanese Labor government is out of touch with Australians suffering in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.

Just reflect on that: $40 million to market the broken promise represented by this bill but only $14 million to food relief agencies to help Australians in need. This is a government that has got all of its priorities wrong. It should be held accountable by the people at the next election.