Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in the adjournment debate to add my voice to the continued opposition to this government's cruel and unnecessary budget. It is a budget that stands in delusional denial of the reality of life for so many north-west Tasmanians. This budget viciously rips away support for those Tasmanians who are not lucky enough to have a job. The truth is that this budget is built on a foundation of lies. By fabricating a hysterical economic crisis, the Abbott government is attempting to sneak through a budget that would tear our national social contract to shreds.

This government thought that we would not notice that the poorest 20 per cent of families will pay $1.1 billion more than the richest households into government coffers. In fact, the top 20 per cent of households will actually be $825 million dollars better off from 2017. The government thought we would not realise that, if degrees meet predictions of costing over $100,000, fewer north-west Tasmanians will take on higher education and take on that debt. They thought we would not mind that the absolutely poorest Australians, the unemployed, would have their entitlements ripped away for over six months out of every year. This government thought we would not see that, measure after measure, this budget places the burden squarely on those who are most vulnerable and the least able to speak for themselves. While everyone knew that Mr Abbott and the coalition would make some cruel decisions, few expected the savage cuts that were delivered. These are savage cuts that will hamper the ability of Tasmanians to not only get ahead but get to the starting line.

A fortnight ago, TheWeekend Australian Magazine published an essay titled 'What prospects do Burnie's young unemployed really have?' The essay included commentary from young people, academics, charities, employment service providers and industry. The essay's take-home message was that more support needs to be provided to our young people both at school and in their late teenage years and early 20s when they are searching for work. In particular, needs based funding is required, as would have been delivered under the Gonski Better Schools Plan, and so are employment services programs that provide a full range of services and analysis, as was provided through the Youth Connections program and the local employment coordinators.

Of course, the Gonski Better Schools Plan was slashed in this year's budget, while Youth Connections and the local employment coordinators were simply done away with. What were they replaced with? Nothing but rhetoric of the worst kind. For months we have had the full cast of Tasmanian Liberal politicians, from the employment minister, Senator Abetz, to his three amigos—Mr Whiteley, Mr Nikolic and Mr Hutchinson—putting the burden of unemployment and social isolation solely on the shoulders of our state's young people.

But the rhetoric reached a new height in The Weekend Australian Magazine article. In possibly one of his nastiest displays, Mr Whiteley outlined the philosophy behind his government's education and employment policies, saying:

“It is my very strong view that some of our young people just need an extra prod,” … “They need that prod and that is for us to say, ‘Some of the options have been taken away and here are the options that are left if you want the government to provide regular payments’.” … “Some people will cry a little longer than others but it is for their own good in the long run.”

What an appalling display in any forum, and particularly from someone who espouses to be Burnie's champion.

Mr Whiteley, the young people of north-west Tasmania are not cattle. They do not need an extra prod. Mr Whiteley, you say, 'Some people will cry a little longer,' yet your government offers them no real education or employment solutions. Your government axed Tools for Your Trade and is slashing support for higher education. Staff and students at the University of Tasmania campus in Burnie are worried that it might close. Mr Whiteley, there are wide and complex reasons why our young people might experience some time on unemployment benefits. It is not for us, as politicians, to cast aspersions on the most disadvantaged people in our community. It is for us, though, to seek to find ways to ensure the security of our communities and to create programs to break the cycles of poverty and inequality, not to name-call our young people as cattle in need of a prod and as crying babies while slashing employment programs and needs based education funding.