Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Disability and Carers) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the upcoming Super Saturday elections. In particular, I'd like to talk about the by-election in Braddon. The upcoming by-election in Braddon is a fantastic opportunity for the people of Tasmania to send a message to the Liberal Party. It's an opportunity for the people to tell this government, and indeed the government of Tasmania, that they value the work of Justine Keay and that they value what she's done as their member to improve their region. It's an opportunity for people to say that they don't want someone who thinks that aged-care work is bad work, as the Prime Minister suggested only yesterday. They want someone who has worked in the community and has worked for the community for years. They don't want someone like Brett Whiteley, who cheers at the prospect of young people having to starve, and they certainly don't want a former banker—Brett Whiteley—who thinks it's okay for the sick and elderly to pay a $20 tax when they see a doctor.

When the people of Braddon voted to replace Brett Whiteley with Justine Keay in 2016, they sent a signal to the Liberals. After three years of being represented by someone who ignored them, refused to listen, blocked anyone with a dissenting view, wanted to cut their penalty rates and stood against critical services for west and north-west Tasmania, such as schools and hospitals, the people of Braddon instead decided to vote for a local representative that stood for their best interests. People in Braddon don't need a former banker who's going to vote with this out-of-touch Prime Minister to give a taxpayer-funded handout to big banks. They've seen what Mr Whiteley and the Prime Minister have done for the community, and they've rejected it. They've seen how Mr Whiteley stood with this Prime Minister in the way of a banking royal commission, and they know where his real loyalties lie. He voted six times against a royal commission. The people in Braddon, like the rest of the nation, have seen and have been shocked by what has come out of the banking royal commission, and they can't believe that the Liberals stood in the way of this for so long.

The people of Braddon, like all Australians, are after a representative who will be a champion for the things that matter. They're after an advocate for their region who will see tax cuts brought to everyday Australians. That's why a Shorten Labor government will deliver tax relief to 39,000 people in Braddon, and that's why re-electing Justine Keay is an important part of seeing those tax cuts that matter delivered to the people of Braddon.

While the Prime Minister's tax plan sees the largest share of the benefits go to his own electorate in Sydney, it places Braddon 147th in the country. That's just four from the bottom. That's why I'm proud to support Justine Keay and to work to see her returned as the member for Braddon. I'm proud of what she stands for, and I know that she'll fight for the people of the west and north-west coasts of Tasmania. After all, it's their wellbeing that matters to her, not the wellbeing of big banks and multinationals. That's why she'll fight for their best interests ahead of the few in Point Piper.

Justine is someone who has worked in public service and has served her city as a local alderman, as well as serving as a local representative for Braddon. Her opponent is someone who, like this Prime Minister, has worked as a banker; he's someone who, like this Prime Minister, stood in the way of a royal commission into the banks; and he's someone who, like this Prime Minister, thinks that people like those who have critical roles as aged-care workers in Burnie just need to get better jobs. This is the kind of person who cheered, 'Hear, hear!' when my colleague Mr Tim Watts characterised this government as wanting young people to earn, learn or starve. Can you get a less compassionate group of people than this current lot that we have in government now? That's why I'm proud to back Justine Keay. I'm proud that she's been an advocate for Braddon, and I know that, if returned, Justine will continue to be a strong advocate for the north-west and west coasts of Tasmania.