Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll get through the remainder of my speech in the next seven minutes, having begun just before question time today. I'm sure senators opposite have been waiting with bated breath for me to resume this speech. I aim not to disappoint.

What I was talking about prior to question time, when we were debating these appropriation bills, was that there's an alarming tendency in this government—which we're seeing again this week—to clutch at any piece of data that they say indicates that the economy is performing well under their stewardship. As I foreshadowed, we have already seen that this week in relation to what the government expects is going to come out of the national accounts data later in the week. The government is preparing the ground for that data in their intention to show that the recession in Australia is over. We saw a little bit of that from the government in question time today. As I was saying before question time, if we do see this continued pattern from the government in arguing that the economy has recovered and that things are going tickety-boo in the Australian economy, all that will demonstrate is exactly how out of touch this government is with what is really happening out there in Australia.

Even the most recent unemployment figures show that unemployment is now at seven per cent, with another 10.4 per cent of the Australian population underemployed. That's over 17 per cent of the Australian population either out of work or seeking more hours than they can find. That's one way of showing that, whatever the government might be saying, in fact many Australians are doing it really tough right now. That old barometer of the state of the economy is empty shops. I do a lot of travelling in my job. In the last couple of weeks alone I've been in Darwin, Rockhampton, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and probably other places that I've forgotten. Everywhere I go, I see empty shops in shopping districts. Even from talking to some of my colleagues today, I know that similar things are going on in their towns and cities right across Australia. So, again, whatever we see and hear from the government about the economy improving, that anecdotal evidence as well as statistical evidence from the Bureau of Statistics shows that in fact at the moment things are really tough for people.

People are particularly concerned about what this government's plans are come March, when the JobKeeper payment is scheduled to end, when the coronavirus supplement is scheduled to end and when we also expect to see banks calling in loans from small businesses and homeowners who have been able to defer their mortgage. Already under this government's leadership we're seeing more pain to Australians and to the wider Australian economy than is necessary, because this government has made decisions to exclude so many people from JobKeeper. The government has wound down JobKeeper and the coronavirus supplement too soon, before the economy has fully recovered and in defiance of warnings from the Reserve Bank of Australia and other economic experts. But that's exactly what we're seeing from this government.

We saw it again in the budget, which these bills relate to, where the government has made a conscious decision to continue excluding categories of people and categories of workers from government support. Just one example in this year's budget is the government's decision to exclude workers over the age of 35 from the hiring subsidy, which means that nearly a million people who are over 35 and currently unemployed will not be able to attract a hiring subsidy from the government when they seek employment with a new employer. That is obviously going to lead employers to exclude older workers not just from receiving the hiring subsidy but from actually getting a job. We already know from the figures that are coming out of the Bureau of Statistics and other economic commentators that older workers are finding it harder to find work and are languishing on the unemployment queues longer. Yet this government has decided, with this budget, to exclude those older workers from receiving the hiring subsidy—another example of the government's conscious decisions making things worse for people: extending the recession, deepening the recession, prolonging the pain.

It doesn't have to be this way. We have been attempting to get the government to reverse course on some of these decisions, whether it be excluding older workers from receiving a hiring subsidy or the decision—made what seems like years ago but was only months ago—to exclude casuals, migrant workers, university workers, council workers, arts and entertainment workers and many other categories from receiving the JobKeeper payment. So it's this government's decisions that are making things worse for so many Australians and making the recession go longer than it needs to.

Of course, there were so many other things that were missing from the budget that the country desperately needs from this government. There was no plan for child care, no proper plan for aged care, no plan for energy policy, no plan for the future of JobSeeker recipients—so many things that are essential to the current state of the economy but also to setting Australia up to really rebound in this recovery. And all of those things have been omitted by the government. They seem to be putting all their eggs in the basket of granting tax concessions to business, some of which we support. But that's not enough on its own. There are so many other things that this government needs to be doing and isn't doing to make sure that we do come out of the recession as quickly as possible. And it is a real shame that, in contrast, what this government does is to keep making decisions that are going to make the recession worse.

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tonight I'll also add my contribution to the Senate's consideration of the appropriation bills before it, Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2020-2021, Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2020-2021 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2020-2021. As we know, budgets come and go in this place. Some are of great consequence and some less so. Some budgets serve to illustrate a bold vision for our nation's future, whereas others might instead seek to reinforce our progression down a path already decided. Regardless of what type of budget any budget might be, each one gives us an insight into the character of the government which presents it. Each one tells us a great deal about what the government sees as important.

There is no doubt that this is a budget with some big numbers in it, such as the $213 billion deficit this financial year, with a cumulative deficit of $480 billion over the forward estimates. Net debt will blow out to $703 billion this year alone, growing to $966 billion before too long. Gross debt, on the other hand, is forecast to reach $1.7 trillion over the decade. With numbers this large, Australians have a right to wonder and to know where the money is going. What does this government see as important?

We know that this budget falls flat in the areas that really matter most. We know that it doesn't go far enough to either protect or create jobs; nor does it illustrate the bold vision that our country desperately needs or form part of a comprehensive plan to secure our nation's future economic prosperity.

Last week, I had the pleasure of joining Labor's shadow minister for agriculture and resources, the member for Chifley, out in Gippsland in Victoria. For those who may never have had the pleasure of visiting Gippsland, it was quite an enjoyable road trip, I must say. It is described by many as 'God's country'. The region is famed for the quality of its agricultural products, brimming with lush fields of green where vegetables are grown and cows wander.

As part of our travels with the member for Chifley, we met Sallie Jones, an owner of a local dairy farm, Gippsland Jersey. Gippsland Jersey is a small dairy producer with multiple farms across the Gippsland region. It was founded by Sallie with the mission of supporting smaller family farms by paying them a fairer farm price for their milk, sidestepping the major processors. From humble beginnings the business has grown to produce not just milk but cream, butter, yoghurt and other value-added products—and, I would also like to add, ice cream! Sallie even has plans to produce many other fantastic products in the future. I guess this is a great example of small business doing great things for the local community and for the region. I would like to see governments of both political persuasions support businesses like this, especially in the regions. Gippsland Jersey is a quintessential Australian success story. Sal and her team should be very proud of themselves; they have much to offer. We in this place ought to be supporting businesses like Sal's. Businesses like hers should be able to count on the Australian government for support, especially in the middle of a recession.

There is so much opportunity in Gippsland and for primary producers. They need to be encouraged to add value to what they produce, to keep the farmland in the hands of Australians and to keep profits in the pockets of regional Australia. Unfortunately, this budget leaves far too many people behind. As I mentioned earlier, budgets speak to the character of the governments that deliver them. We shouldn't be surprised to see a budget that leaves people behind; this government, unfortunately, has always left people behind.

If you need more proof of this, go and speak to the many timber workers in my home state—in particular, those who have been impacted by the uncertainty surrounding the Central Highlands Regional Forestry Agreement. I've spoken to these timber workers, I've visited them and I've had a lot to say. Last week, the member for Chifley and I visited Australian Sustainable Hardwoods, a world-class sustainable timber mill in Heyfield. ASH, as it is better known, is a mighty business—world-class, in fact. The scale and sophistication of its operations are something we should all be impressed about. Any Australian who might have the opportunity should go down there and pay a visit. While ASH has worked hard to build itself into the successful business it is today, it has often had to struggle as a result of a lack of support from government and also from my home state of Victoria. After all, it is on the watch of this government that their economic future has been thrown into some doubt—whether it is through the lack of work to shore up the regional forestry agreements or the bungling of the relationship with one of our most important trading countries, which has seen quality Australian timber turned away on the tarmac.

One is left to wonder what the folks at Gippsland Jersey and Australian Sustainable Hardwoods get out of the biggest budget blowout in our time. What money is heading their way to support them and to grow their future? Heaven knows this government likes to talk about its economic credentials. As we heard earlier from Senator Watt, even today the government carries on as if there is nothing wrong. Don't we know how they like to tell us they are good economic managers! Tell that to the additional 160,000 people who are going to join the jobless queues by Christmas. Tell that to the 2,000 Qantas workers who are about to lose their jobs. Tell that to the thousands who are going to have their JobKeeper ripped out from under them or the thousands who are going to find their bills hard to meet as JobSeeker is slashed.

What little support Australians were able to rely on over the course of this year as we experienced a once-in-a century economic downturn! Far too many have already suffered. We know that the government did not want to implement a wage subsidy and we know they never wanted to raise Newstart to the rate of a livable wage. It was pressure from the community and pressure from Labor and others in this place that eventually brought them to the table. What is the plan for the recovery? That is the question we have all been asking. What's the next step? How exactly is this government going to help Australia bounce back?

Well, we know we can count on them for one thing—we can count on them to be there for the announcements. This government relies on these announcements for the headlines. They relish the photo opportunity, the media release, the quick interview and the social media post. What they don't relish is the delivery. What they can't be counted on for is to do the actual things that matter to most Australians—the doing. Take the shortages in our horticulture industry as one example. There is the government—those opposite, both National and Liberal—unveiling a new pot of money and a half-page plan. Day 1, all is well; the announcement is a success, the media mention locked in. Go back on day 2, day 20, day 200—all the flashy subsidies are still there, as shiny as the day they were unveiled, because they have been barely used. The thousands of new workers that were promised turn out to number only in the dozens. But, by the time the roadshow has moved on to the next announcement and the one after, the problems still persist, with the hard work of service delivery left undone. But don't take my word for it. Go and speak to the many farmers in my home state—the broccoli farmers in South Gippsland, the strawberry farmers in Queensland. They'll tell you. Good luck finding the solutions, though, because they can't, and they are desperately needing people to pick the harvest as we enter the next period in summer. You won't find it, because these are Australians that have been left behind. They have a problem that is too hard, one that government would rather be forgotten. And they're not alone. They're not the only ones that the government has left behind. At a time when so many Australians are in need and so many industries need a leg up, this government is missing in action.

Last week, I also met with representatives of Gippsland Food & Fibre and visited a local business in Loch, the Loch Brewery & Distillery. The folks there have created a fine local business, set in a very picturesque regional village. And they're a success, starting with a still you could fit on this desk, now having one just about as big as your living room. No-one can say that they're not having a go. They are having a go. They've gone from making beer to making whisky to making gins, and even their own Negroni. But are they getting a go? They are the kinds of people that we ought to be backing, and yet the government can often make their lives harder, with taxation obligations and other measures that get in the way of them doing what they do best. Sure, they've been grateful to have JobKeeper, and many businesses have—a scheme of merit that we, on this side, also supported.

But, now, what is the plan beyond JobKeeper? What is the plan beyond JobSeeker? What is the plan for jobs and getting this country back on track, getting our economy moving again? What is the plan for regional Australia? We need a road map going forward, a government with vision and one that isn't afraid to put in the hard yards to get the outcomes our country desperately needs. Sadly, all that's going right now is a shiny media release and a whole bunch of debt. At the end of the day, Australians deserve better, and they really do need a government that's going to be on their side.

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

I rise tonight to speak on the appropriations bills and, in doing so, take the opportunity to talk again about this government's budget. As we know, budgets are incredibly important documents. In a recession, in this recession particularly, this budget could not be more important. But it's not just what's written down on paper that matters. In a recession like this, what governments do is important, because governments have a job to do during recessions—to lead the country in an economic plan, to drive investment, to create jobs and to make the most of the opportunities that we know this terrible recession has brought about for our community. It's about action; it's about doing things. It's about rolling up your sleeves and getting things done—delivering on your promises.

But we know that, when it comes to delivering promises, the only thing the Morrison government is fast-tracking at the moment are announcements. They have no plan to deliver on these announcements. We know that they made many announcements before the election, when they were asking the Australian people for their votes. And yet those announcements, even in a recession, remain undelivered. The Morrison government has their priorities wrong, and we know that they have underspent so far on housing and on nation-building infrastructure. They've spent plenty of money on advertising what their slogans are and on putting up signs in shopping centres and on bus stops to tell the Australian public that there's an economic comeback on the way.

When we strip away the advertising, the slogans and the marketing, we know that we have a very deep recession, a huge amount of debt and record deficits. But we need to know what we'll have to show for it after all this is done. How will this government build our nation back again? At the moment, this budget—this document—does not show the way forward for the Australian people. This government has presided over record unemployment, with a million unemployed, and it's forecast to remain unacceptably high for unacceptably long.

Young people, particularly, have been hit hard by this crisis and the government's hiring credit subsidies are not enough to support the secure and permanent jobs that they need in the future. The hiring credit scheme hurts the 928,000 Australians over 35 who have been excluded from the program. The Morrison government has form with failed policies when it comes to targeting youth unemployment. We know that programs like the PaTH program, which was so ineffective, were quietly cut. And 678 older Australians have died in aged care during the coronavirus pandemic, but this budget doesn't include the measures that are needed to make sure there are enough workers on site or enough PPE, or the measures that we need to make sure that it never happens again.

I'm really pleased to have an opportunity to talk about this budget, particularly speaking ahead of the minister, because it means that I'll be able to bring to the attention of the Senate and those opposite the one thing in the budget papers that I was really looking for on budget night. I know that, as the budget papers get dropped off around this place, people open them up and scan through, trying to find where the jobs are going to be. Where are the promises? How will we overcome these issues? There was one particular forward payment that I was looking for. As a Queenslander and as a senator based in Cairns, I know that housing is one of the biggest issues for people living in Far North Queensland. It is one of the biggest issues that is holding back economic development and holding back the health and wellbeing of people living in Queensland. So when I looked to find what the remote housing funding commitment was from this government for the many years to come, people wouldn't be surprised to find out that, as I flipped through the pages, I found that page 43 of the Federal Financial Relations Budget Paper No. 3 said that there was nothing for remote housing in Queensland for the next financial year and the one after that, and the one after that. There is nothing in this budget—a recession budget, when we need to rebuild and to create jobs—that will make sure that we deal with the remote housing issue in Far North Queensland.

I have stood here many times since becoming a senator, having had the opportunity to travel through Cape York and the Torres Strait and seeing the very desperate need for social housing and for remote housing, and I've gotten angry about it. I've decided to not get angry tonight but just to explain to the Senate, to the minister and to the people sitting opposite—the members of the government—why we need this fixed now.

COVID was an opportunity for this government to understand how important it is for people to have a house. You can't isolate from coronavirus if you don't have a house. You can't isolate from coronavirus if you're living in a house with 28 to 30 people. But in our country, in the state of Queensland, under this government, that is exactly the situation we face. We were desperately concerned when there were outbreaks across the country, knowing the full situation about overcrowding in housing, that if a case of coronavirus were to make its way to Far North Queensland and to Cape York or the Torres Strait it would be incredibly difficult to isolate any single individual or family.

I've visited places like Yarrabah. I've visited places like Aurukun. I've been to the Torres Strait—all over the islands there. I have visited places in Cairns that desperately need social housing. We need remote housing now. And what did the government do in the budget? Well, they didn't deliver any reoccurring, ongoing funding. Before the election the government went around to people living in Far North Queensland and asked for their vote. They told them that they would deliver $100 million of remote housing to councils directly. They said, 'We will fund $100 million of remote housing.' They didn't say to them at the time that they weren't going to continue to fund remote housing. But now we know that that money is a one-off, and when it's gone there'll be nothing more.

Through this budget they have decided that now is the time—during an economic recession, during a COVID-19 health crisis—to wash their hands of Indigenous communities in Far North Queensland that need houses to survive. Do you know how much of the money that they promised before the last election—$105 million—they've actually delivered to communities in Far North Queensland? None of it. Five million dollars of that money has been transferred to the state. We are still waiting on $100 million. Sure, it appears in the budget as a line in small font on a piece of paper. But when you find out what this government has actually done when it comes to remote housing, after all the promises before the last election, after they stood up in Cape York and told people they would deliver housing for Far North Queensland, for the Cape, for our First Nations people—they told them that, and they said, 'Vote for us, because we will deliver housing for you'—they haven't delivered a single cent of that money. Not a single house has been built after that promise over 12 months ago. And during the budget, when the government had the chance to deliver ongoing, recurring funding to make sure that for many generations we would be able to make sure people have housing and that kids are not growing up in a house with 29 other people, what did they do? They washed their hands of this problem. They said, 'Nope, leave it to the states; it's got nothing to do with us.'

How many times have they said that during this crisis—that it's a matter for the states? Isn't it depressing, when you've got a federal government that would rather leave important infrastructure decisions—funding for people to survive in housing—to somebody else?

Do you know what real leaders do? They stand up and they say: 'I'm going to make a difference on this. I'm going to fix this problem. I have the will, the power and the resources. I'm going to do something to fix this.' But this government just walks away. That's what it's done to people living in Far North Queensland.

The minister tonight will give a speech about the appropriations that are in this budget, and he'll talk a lot about the things that the government have done during this coronavirus outbreak. There'll be lots of discussion about jobs, but one of the easiest and quickest ways that you could create jobs in Queensland would be to fund remote housing and social housing for people who really need it. Those construction jobs could be created right now. It's not an issue just for Indigenous councils; all over regional Queensland they need housing. These are the areas that the government say that they support, that they represent and where they go out and tell people, 'We stand up for people in regional Queensland.' Well, they don't. What those areas are saying right now is that they need housing. Mount Isa needs housing. Stanthorpe needs housing. There is nowhere for people to live and yet the Deputy Prime Minister gets up all the time and talks about this idea of regionalisation, that people should go and live in the regions—'Pack up your bags and go and live in regional Queensland.' I would encourage people to do that as well, but when they get there there's a housing shortage.

This was the opportunity, this was the document, this was the chance for the government and the members opposite, who say that they stand up for the regions, who say that they stand up for people living in the bush, to do something about the housing situation we have in Queensland—and all across the country, I would imagine. But, instead of doing anything, the government shirked their responsibility and left pages blank in the budget papers. What a terrible indictment on the government that they'll make speeches about how fantastic the states have done and pat themselves on the back for the work of other people but not deliver something as crucial as a house for people to live in. I can't imagine what it would be like to be a parent making a decision to raise a child in a house with 28 other people, knowing that your government promised to deliver housing but walked away at the very first opportunity to do it.

At the end of this recession, at the end of this election term, Australians will be wondering, 'What is the plan?' Is the plan to use taxpayers' money to put nice advertising in shopping centres and bus stops when the plan really could be to deliver the things that our community needs right now—not in three or four years and not 10 years down the track but right now? People living in Far North Queensland need houses. This government promised to deliver. When it got the chance in the budget, it walked away from it. That is a terrible indictment on this government. It doesn't care about people. It's leaving them behind. It is a shameful thing to do to a group of people who believed that this government would do the right thing when given the chance.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank all senators who have made contributions to the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2020-2021 and related bills. The appropriation bills, as is customary, seek authority from the parliament for the expenditure of money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the last five months of the 2020-2021 financial year and build on the appropriations already provided in the 2020-21 supply acts.

Rather than providing extensive remarks in summing up this debate, I point senators to the budget speech and other contributions that highlight the focused priorities the government brings to bear in relation to these bills. The total of the appropriation sought through these appropriation bills is just over $51.8 billion, providing essential support for the continuity of government business through to the end of this financial year, including funding to give effect to our many budget measures focused very much on the continued suppression of the coronavirus and our work through the associated economic crisis to ensure the preservation and growth of investment, trade, jobs, living standards and essential services for Australians.

I note that there is a second reading amendment, moved by the opposition, which seeks to make various, probably relatively predictable, political points. I would argue that those points are grossly internally inconsistent as they variously attack the government over the scale of spending but then go on to call for much greater spending in a whole range of other areas. Unfortunately, the timing of consideration of the second reading vote and this amendment is such that the question will be put during the hour when the Senate does not divide. Therefore, in the interests of the timely management of the Senate and of concluding debate tonight without interruption and passing the appropriation bills at the earliest opportunity to ensure the continuity of supply and maintain the essential operations of the government, I can inform the Senate that the government will not call a division on the second reading amendment, but of course I again stress that we resolutely oppose the amendment and do not accept the assertions in the motion. Once again, I thank senators for their contributions and commend these bills to the chamber.

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question now is that the second reading amendment moved by Senator Gallagher be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

Original question, as amended, agreed to.

Bills read a second time.