Dennis Jensen (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As we stroll down the boulevard of broken promises we find ourselves at the house of reckless rising debt. I think it is time we reflected on the term of the chameleon Rudd government. The Indigenous people, the pensioners, the self-funded retirees, the students, the apprentices the environmentalists and the working families are all taking a hit from broken promises and broken election commitments. To name just a few broken commitments: the health insurance rebate, the Medicare safety net, the broadband debacle—and what a debacle that is; an expensive farce that is way from being solved—superannuation, affordable child care, whaling, defence spending, the CPRS we had to have, the greening of Parliament House, and the big, grandiose Sorry Day, from which the benefit to our Indigenous communities and people has been—that is right—nothing.

Even though a pre-election Kevin Rudd promised us that he was an economic conservative, what do you see? You see the exact opposite. Australians trusted this man and gave him their vote. How disappointed and let down they are today. Just ask them. Most Australians have never seen spending or national debt like this in their life times. How worried are they? They are very worried. Just ask them.

I hold grave concerns for the young and, in particular, students because of the hand that they have been dealt. Do we want to start with the botched computers in schools program and the $800 million blow-out, or shall we talk about the $250 whack to university students—a not very subtly disguised return to student union fees? Let us go on to the changes in Youth Allowance. Those changes are a great idea if you want to discourage young people from furthering their education. I guess that is what those opposite mean by ‘education revolution’. Revolution? It is more like a revolt against providing educational opportunities, by making it as difficult as possible.

Australians are very aware that this government is losing control. The government is losing control of the present and throwing away the future—the future of generations to come. Their pre-election promises are being thrown out one by one. Is it a surprise to members on this side of the House? I think not. Is it a surprise to those who voted in this government in good faith? Yes, I would suggest they are surprised and disheartened. We do remember one commitment that has certainly been kept: ‘When we get in, we’ll just change it all.’ Never was a truer statement made by those opposite.