House debates
Monday, 21 November 2016
Private Members' Business
Turnbull Government
11:27 am
Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source
I rise to speak to probably one of the weirdest motions that have ever been introduced into this parliament. This government needs a motion to acknowledge that it won the election. That is the first sentence. It actually needs to be told—
Mr Pasin interjecting—
Through you, Mr Deputy Speaker, if I were the member for Barker, I would not be saying too much about records, considering that he was one of the members of this place to receive the largest swings against them—a 12 per cent swing against the member for Barker. I would have a look at your own house if you think—through you, Mr Deputy Speaker—that getting a 12 per cent swing is a great result and that you should be congratulated. I would take a look in the mirror.
We know that the government today need a motion to tell them that they won the election. This motion goes on and on and on about wanting congratulations, not listing the things that they will do. I will give a point to the member for North Sydney: 100 days was a month ago. If you are going to introduce a motion, perhaps be on time, rather than being desperate to want some acknowledgement, because no-one else is saying you are doing a good job.
The second point congratulates the government for securing Australia's 25 consecutive years of economic growth. Well, I can tell you that this government is not responsible for 25 years of economic growth. It cannot actually get it right. Let us talk about a couple points in this. Shall we talk about the NBN? I would like to also talk about—and I like this clacker; this is my favourite—delivering better tax arrangements for working holiday makers and backpackers. Where are we with that? How is that going for you? Are we debating that? Are we dealing with that this week? No, we are not. I will come to superannuation. Today we have just seen a major report showing that there will be a $24 billion blowout over the deficit over the next four years ahead. Well done to this government! Well done! They want to be congratulated for not cutting the deficit but increasing the deficit. That is right. This government is making it worse. It goes on and on. What a motion to congratulate them on Medicare!
I note that this government likes to talk tough when it comes to Medicare, but the facts speak for themselves. We have seen a 0.7 per cent drop in bulk-billing rates in my home state of Queensland in the September 2016 quarter—a drop of 47,000 services that are bulk-billed in Queensland. We know that those opposite are not interested in universal health care. We know those on the North Shore of Sydney are not interested in access to quality health care. We know those in the leafy affluent suburbs of Sydney do not necessarily focus on quality health care. Well, I can tell you that in my community in the electorate of Oxley, the birthplace of Medicare under the great reformer Bill Hayden, we do care about Medicare. I know that the people of Oxley and the people of Queensland depend on quality access to health care.
This motion today also talks about the NBN. We only need to look at what happened last week: a 147 per cent increase in complaints around NBN. It was going to cost less and deliver more on time. And what has happened? We have seen a blowout in regional Australia. Regional Australia, time and time again, has been left behind by this government.
This government wants to be congratulated for passing the backpacker tax. Where are we up to with that? Absolutely nowhere, just like the mess that they created with superannuation and just like the mess they created with paid parental leave version 68—which is coming down the line from this government—because they are hopelessly divided. They cannot stick to the commitments they made at the last election, and yet they have the gall and the hide to come into this place and want to be congratulated for the litany of messes that they have created in the first 100 days. I point out again that this government talks tough but delivers little for the people of Australia.
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