Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Nash. I refer to the Prime Minister's pre-election promise of 'no cuts to health' and 'no new taxes'. Will the minister restate that commitment on the floor of the chamber today?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can indicate to the Senate that we will be honouring our election commitment. We will also be honouring our commitment to the Australian people, to fix the economic mess that the previous Labor government has left this nation. We have facing us a serious economic mess and the commitment we made to the Australian people was to fix the budget mess.

When we look at what the previous Labor government has done, when we look at the waste and mismanagement from the previous Labor government, it is absolutely imperative that we honour that commitment to the Australian people. We will do that in a measured way, we will do that in a sensible way and we will have a fair budget that makes the right decisions for future sustainability for the Australian people. We on this side of the chamber understand the importance of economic responsibility. We understand that to have sustainable portfolios across the government into the future—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Moore, I will not give you the call until there is silence.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order: relevance. The minister has not actually answered the particular question asked by the senator, which referred to 'no cuts to health' and also to 'no new taxes'. It was a specific question, Mr President, and we would appreciate an answer to those two points.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. I cannot instruct the minister how to answer the question. The minister still has 45 seconds remaining to address the question.

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did indicate to the chamber that we would be honouring our election commitment and I also indicated to the chamber—for senators on the other side—that we will be honouring our election commitment to ensure that we provide a budget for this nation that ensures the future of this nation is sustainable. I know those on the other side do not want to hear—

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order: relevance. I would ask you to draw the attention of the minister to the question, which was specifically about 'no cuts to health' and also 'no new taxes'. The answer has not been provided.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. The minister has 20 seconds remaining.

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I have indicated to the chamber, we will be honouring our election commitment. At this point in time, we have a nation that is in an economic mess and the commitment that this government made to the Australian people is to fix it.

Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Does the minister back the assertion by the Prime Minister's handpicked adviser Tony Shepherd that Australians visit the doctor 11 times a year and, as he said, 'I just don't think we're that crook'? Why is the government relying on dodgy data to introduce a GP tax on taking your sick child to the doctor?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not going to speculate on the budget. But I will inform the chamber that it is this government, this side of the chamber that has a focus on future health delivery in a sustainable way for this nation. We only have to look at the previous—

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order: relevance. This point of order is fairly straight forward. There was a particular question on a statement made about going to the doctor 11 times and also about the data on which that statement was made. It was not speculation about the budget.

Government senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister still has 38 seconds remaining. I am listening carefully to the minister's answer. There is no point of order at this stage.

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is this government that has a much greater focus on the ability of families to be able to attend medical practitioners, to get proper health services, unlike the previous government that was so focused on bureaucracy and duplication. We are focused on delivering health care in a sustainable way—

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! On my right and on my left.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order: relevance. We now have 13 seconds left to go and we still do not have a specific answer to our question. I would ask you to draw the minister's attention to the question.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is still no point of order at this stage. The minister has 13 seconds remaining.

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Unlike those opposite, it is this side of the chamber that is focused on people and families being able to get the level of health care they deserve, unlike those opposite who are caught up in bureaucracy and duplication. (Time expired)

Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I refer to the Prime Minister's pre-election promise that this government 'will do what we have said we will do'. Why is this government breaking this promise and introducing a tax that means that Medicare will be for people who can afford it rather than people who need it? How can the Australian people trust anything that this Prime Minister says?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not going to speculate on the budget. What I will say about the budget is that this government will deliver a budget that does the right thing for the future of this nation. This government will deliver a budget that ensures sustainability into the future, particularly in my area of health. On this side of the chamber this government understands that we need to make hard decisions, and those people out in the community elected us last year to ensure that we fix the economic mess that was left to us by those opposite. We did not create this economic mess—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Nash is entitled to be heard in silence.

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We did not create the economic mess that this country is in but we will take the responsibility to fix it. The Australian people know that and that is why they elected us.

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question without notice is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Abetz. I refer to Treasurer Mr Hockey's statement that the budget will shape the destiny of the nation. I ask what destiny does the government envisage for Australia in terms of energy infrastructure, in particular given the intention to scrap carbon pricing, the Renewable Energy Agency and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and to undermine the renewable energy target?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Australian Greens for allowing me to outline the vision that we as a government have for this great nation. When she was in cahoots with the former Labor government in this place there was no future. Indeed, the light at the end of the tunnel was the debt train rattling at us at 100 miles an hour. After tonight the light at the end of the tunnel will in fact be daylight where the future generations of Australians will be able to be satisfied that the government in 2014 took the right decisions to guarantee their future.

In relation to our vision for energy, one of the great advantages Australia has had over many generations has been our cheap energy, one of the great benefits we have had. We went to the Australian people on the very firm policy of abolishing the carbon tax, a tax we were promised we would never have, especially by the current Leader of the Opposition in this place and the Leader of the Opposition in the other place. So we have a vision to ensure the energy security for our country and a vision to reduce the cost of that energy so that the manufacturing sector, the agricultural sector and the tourism sector can be viable players in a very tough world environment. Why we want them to be viable players is because we know that they are the ones that create the jobs for our fellow Australians that allow them to run sustainable households in a manner where they control their destiny rather than the government controlling their destiny.

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask a supplementary question, Mr President. In terms of energy infrastructure, since renewable energy is going to go down in price and fossil fuel energy is going to increase in price, how are you going to guarantee cheap energy in the future by abolishing the very processes and renewable energy agencies and climate corporations that support the infrastructure of the future?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As with all things, the coalition adopts the moderate approach in these matters. We are not the fanatics that the Australian Greens seem to represent in this place. This government does in fact believe in renewable energy but we say take it in steps in a manner that does not mug the economy, as the carbon tax did, continues to do and will continue to do until the Senate agrees to abolish it—something which the Australian people overwhelmingly voted for on 7 September. You can shake your head, Senator Milne, but I think a lot of people on 7 September were motivated by a desire to get rid of the Labor-Green government that was ruining this country and their cost of living and their desire to rid the nation of a carbon tax which they saw as being emblematic of increasing their cost of living and ruining— (Time expired)

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have another supplementary question. The Treasurer has said that the cost of acting now—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Milne is entitled to be heard in silence when asking her question. Order! When there is silence I will give Senator Milne the call. Senators Cameron, Bernardi and Conroy.

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer has said that the cost of acting now is less than the cost of acting later but was referring to road building, not the climate. What is the cost to the nation of failing to invest in public transport and rail?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not sure what that question is all about and how it relates to other matters on renewable energy, but the Australian Greens can ask whatever they like. The simple fact is that you will have to wait another 5¼ hours, and the Treasurer will get onto his hind feet and deliver an excellent budget which will guarantee the future of our country. You will then see that we have a vision for this country, unlike that which the Labor-Green governments were able to deliver.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz, you might resume your seat momentarily. When there is silence, I will ask Senator Abetz to continue, but not until then. Senator Abetz, continue.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the 19 seconds remaining, I simply ask the Leader of the Australian Greens to remain patient and wait. It is now less than 5¼ hours until the delivery of the budget, when she will see that this is a government that is committed to the long-term future of our country and the next generations in particular.

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Minister for Employment and Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Abetz, and it relates to the federal budget that will be delivered tonight. Can the minister advise the Senate why it is necessary for the government to make tough but fair and responsible decisions in this budget?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Williams for that question and for the insight that he has into the need for us to restore the economic fortunes of our country. The Australian people overwhelmingly elected the Liberal and National parties to government on 7 September to fix the budget, not just for this generation but also for the generations to come.

This government has inherited a debt and deficit disaster from Labor that, if left unaddressed, threatens the future prosperity of our children and grandchildren. The International Monetary Fund has warned that by 2018—only four years away—Australia's real government expenditure is set to outstrip all of the other 17 advanced OECD economies. As a result of Labor's fiscal vandalism, Australia is facing the single largest increase in national debt outside Europe. This is simply not sustainable. Indeed, each and every month, as we speak, the government of Australia, courtesy of the Labor-Green legacy, is borrowing $1,000 million per month from overseas just to pay the interest bill—not to pay down the capital; just to pay the interest bill. We are having to borrow to pay for the interest. It is like using your credit card to pay for the house mortgage. At the end of the day, the credit card is going to run out and then the whole house has to be sold off.

We are taking the action that is so vitally necessary today to ensure that the future of our nation is guaranteed. I will conclude on this: government debt is deferred taxation and is theft from future generations.

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a supplementary question, Mr President. Can the minister inform the Senate how tonight's budget and the government's broader economic action strategy will fix Labor's debt and deficit disaster and create more jobs for future generations of Australians?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The conclusion of Senator Williams' question absolutely hits the nail on the head. This is all about getting the economy back on track so that we can create the jobs necessary to sustain the Australian population. That is what they want—they want jobs—and that is why it is so imperative that we fix the economic disaster left to us by those opposite.

Our strategy was very clear. We said that we would have five pillars to our economic policy: cutting the carbon tax, cutting the regulatory burden, boosting trade, building the infrastructure of the 21st century and getting the budget back on track. Having created the mess, you would think that the Labor-Green senators in this place would at least get out of the way to enable us to fix it. They remind me of the arsonist complaining about the water damage being occasioned by the fire brigade. (Time expired)

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a further supplementary question, Mr President. Can the minister advise the Senate what other steps the government is taking to develop a strong and prosperous Australian economy with higher living standards, better pay and more jobs?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One thing that you have to understand—and Senator Williams understands this, even if the Labor-Green senators do not—is that by paying down the debt, by getting rid of the debt and interest burden, we will free up taxpayers' money for the possibility of growing the much-needed infrastructure in this country. What we are seeking to do, and will seek to do in tonight's budget, is deliver a budget that is both tough and fair, a budget that will get us back on track. It will anchor the government's legislative reform package that is designed to free up the economy so that workers can get jobs and that businesses can grow and prosper.

Already we have introduced legislation that will abolish the carbon tax, scrap the mining tax, unshackle Qantas and re-establish the Australian Building and Construction Commission. These bills form part of our program that the Labor and Green senators in this place, refusing to acknowledge the decision of the Australian people, refuse to pass. (Time expired)