Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for External Territories) Share this | Hansard source

You know it. I know what happens in your party room: you are all yapping like this, 'What are we going to do next?' Well, we know what you are going to do next. It will not be too long before the Treasurer is out of a job; I guarantee it.

What else have they done? Well, they have hit health and education. They have cut $80 billion out of health and education. That is a very positive outcome for the people of Australia! I am sure that we are all very pleased and clapping the government 'Thank you' for cutting $80 billion out of health and education! They have tried to introduce a co-payment for Medicare treatments. I live in the Northern Territory, and I know people who would say to me, 'How the hell would I ever go to a doctor if I had to pay a co-payment of any description?' You know this to be the case in your own electorates. You know people in your own electorates who will say to you, 'We will not have a co-payment, because we can't afford what it will mean to us and our families.'

Let me come to one of the most insidious things: the fuel tax. We know that the Prime Minister is noted for telling the truth! We note that before the last election he promised that there would be no cuts to health, no cuts to education and no cuts to pensions.

Just read the budget papers! The other group of people they have chosen to target are veterans, veterans' families and Australian Defence Force members. The member for Solomon is sitting here. What does she say to her Defence Force constituents when they ask her: 'Why are you cutting our real wages?' You know what they say to you. They say: 'We don't forgive you for that. We are concerned about this government. You lied to us before the last election and you continue to lie.' You are just liars! We know you lie and the community knows that you lie.

Government members interjecting—

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