Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Isn't it interesting when those opposite get the chance to talk about our budget, because we start to learn a little bit about what they have planned for Australians. Our budget, as you are aware, Madam Acting Deputy President Polley, and as many Australians are aware, was focused squarely on cost of living as a priority for the economic times but also on delivering an economy for the future. That's why we are delivering a tax cut for every Australian. We made sure that we were able to deliver a tax cut for every taxpayer out there. On top of the tax cuts that were already committed to, we made sure that there would be tax cuts for the lowest-paid workers.

It's interesting when you hear those opposite talk about these tax cuts or about changes to the tax system that they're not quite able to say—they don't quite have the guts to—whether they would change these tax cuts if they were elected. They're not able to say that because we know that they will. We know that they want to rip those tax cuts away from low-paid workers, and they would if they had the chance. But our government is delivering those tax cuts on 1 July, and we're very excited to make sure that every taxpayer in regional Queensland, across Queensland, gets the tax cut that they deserve.

We're also making sure that we can deliver an economy for the future. That means delivering a future made in Australia—more manufacturing jobs all over Australia, particularly in our regions. When we talked about this commitment, when we talked about manufacturing, those opposite were very quick to say that they wouldn't be supporting a future made in Australia. Imagine saying you don't want to support more things being made here by Aussie workers! We know that this is an important policy for the future, and that's why we're delivering it. We know that it's important for manufacturing workers right now, but we also know that it's important for those manufacturing workers of the future that we are skilling up. Those opposite would tell those workers that they don't have a job here in Australia, that they would send their job overseas, because they don't support our plan to make more things here in Australia.

Of course, you've heard those opposite talk about housing and our housing plan. What Senator Bragg did not mention in his criticisms of our plan is the $32 billion of investment that we are putting behind our commitment to build more homes in Australia. We are making sure that we're doing that in conjunction with the states. It is ludicrous to hear from those opposite any criticism of our plan to build housing when, after 10 years, they refused to hand over any money for social housing, any money for homelessness or any money to support the building of homes that are so drastically needed, particularly in regional areas. It's interesting: I want to know which parts of this housing plan those opposite oppose. Do they oppose the $1 billion that we are setting aside to build more homes for women and children fleeing domestic violence? Is that the bit that they would cut? Do they oppose programs like the regional first home buyers grant, a program that is rolling out homes in regional Queensland right now? Is that what they are against? Do they oppose us skilling up construction workers to make sure that we have people out there who are able to build homes right now and into the future? Are those the jobs that they would cut?

When it comes to the most important issues facing Australians right now, we know that energy prices are putting pressure on households, so we are delivering relief through our energy relief package—$300 for every household. If you're in Queensland, we've managed to keep those assets in public hands, so you will get an even bigger package because the state government is delivering relief and the Australian government is too. When it comes to energy prices, we know that those opposite voted against our package the last time we put it through this place. We know that, given the chance, they'll probably vote against it again. We know that they've criticised it one day and flip-flopped and supported it the other. They want higher electricity prices. They literally voted in this chamber to have higher electricity prices—to make prices higher for people doing it tough. And they want less electricity in the market because they oppose renewable energy. On this side of the chamber, we're for more energy into the system and lower electricity prices. Those opposite are for higher energy prices and less electricity into the market. It is clear when they come in here and criticise our budget that they don't support us delivering a tax cut for every single Australian and energy bill relief for every single household. (Time expired)