Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The relief on the other side of this chamber today is absolutely palpable. Do you know why? Because they have backed off on those changes to the family tax benefit just in time to go home to their electorates for Christmas and not have people in their electorates be knocking on their doors waking them up in the morning and at night to say, 'You should not be doing this, because it is not fair.' This is terrific—you can go home to your electorates and not have that. Similarly, when we say GST, what do they say? They do not want their electorates to know that in the new year they will come back with a new plan.

It is clear. Round 1 of $8.5 billion in cuts to the FTP has beaten back by Labor. But do they give up? No, in they come again, with round 2 and $4.8 billion in cuts to the family tax benefit, to hit 1.6 million families and three million children. We have pushed them back again. Those opposite—our supposedly progressive Prime Minister with his regressive tax—need to come through the doors today and tell Australian families that they can be certain. Rule out that GST, rule out that 15 per cent on food and rule out any other changes to the family tax benefit. That is what those opposite need to do to sleep through Christmas. That is the assurance your electorates need.