Stephen Jones (Throsby, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In a few hours time, the Treasurer will stand at that dispatch box and is going to have an opportunity to atone for the sins of the last 12 months. In this catalogue of sins, we see the GP tax version 1, 2 and 3 and, like the Jaws movie itself, versions 2, 3 and 4 were no better than the first version but equally devastating for the people who the sins were going to be visited upon. We saw cuts to hospitals and schools in the magnitude of $55 billion, so there are a lot of sins to atone for. We are told that this budget is going to be about families and jobs. Well, it had better be, because unemployment is at an all-time high at 6.2 per cent. In fact, unemployment has never been this high since the current Prime Minister was workplace relations minister.

I am very mindful of the position of Nationals members as we come into this budget, because they went to the last election promising that there would be an increase in Medicare rebates for patients who were living in rural and regional Australia. We know that the truth in the last budget and the proposal of this government is exactly the opposite—that is, to freeze Medicare rebates—so I sincerely hope that the members of the Nationals have had more success in the joint party room this year.

Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the seven seconds that remain: this federal budget will be good for families, jobs growth and opportunity. It is a budget that will be responsible, measured and fair. I am very much looking forward to the Treasurer giving this budget. It will be a fair, responsible budget for families and for jobs. (Time expired)

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded.