Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

With the interjections of Senator Conroy and the previous two Labor speakers, it is very clear that the optimism with which I returned is already very sadly shattered. It was supposed to be the year of big ideas—remember that: Bill Shorten and the 'year of big ideas'? Quite frankly, I do not seem to recall a single one, apart from some tax increases

Far from coming back to finding an opposition who is now willing to work with the government, there is still an absence of policy ideas on how to start living within our means and continuing to grow the economy—

Senator Conroy interjecting—

Senator Conroy, you are just playing the man not the policy ideas. Let me remind you that when you came to government not only was the country living within its means but it had about $20 billion in the bank and no debt. You wasted that with pink batts, school halls, an NBN that did not deliver any broadband to the nation—a litany of wasted money. Consequently for taxpayers, and some are sitting in the gallery now, we are now borrowing $100 million a day. I bet you they did not know that. The government are borrowing $100 million a day to pay for your prolific expenditure. That is the situation we now find ourselves in.

Senator Cameron was right: it is a matter of choice. But it is a choice of how we start to find better ways to live within our means and to grow the economy. That is exactly what this budget will be about tomorrow. It is making choices on how to best spend our money. We spend $150 billion a year of taxpayers' money. In fact, nearly nine out of 10 income taxpayers in this country now pay for our welfare benefits. Welfare benefits are not entitlements; they are there as benefits for people who need the assistance. Government always has to make sure that the money of those people sitting in the gallery today is best spent for those who best need it.

It is also about a choice between infrastructure investment, encouraging small business and creating new jobs. You conveniently like to forget that we have now created something like 80,000 more jobs than when you left government.