Senate debates

Thursday, 11 May 2017

Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers

Budget

3:05 pm

Photo of Helen PolleyHelen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to take note of answers provided by Senators Cormann and Brandis to questions asked by Labor senators.

Senator Abetz interjecting—

In fact, Senator Abetz, we are not missing anything out of this budget. What is very clear about this budget is that it is a reflection of how out of touch and arrogant the Turnbull Liberal government is. In fact, because you are still in the chamber—through you, Madam Deputy President—let's go to Tasmania. Senator Duniam came into this chamber yesterday espousing what he said were great outcomes for the Tasmanian community. Well, he was wrong, because there is no money for infrastructure for Tasmania. He was trying to do justify announcements that had been made previously. The Mersey Hospital funding is not new money and has already been announced. But, because the government have no good news, they want to try and re-announce and re-announce. The Building Better Regions Fund is not specific to Tasmania. The Launceston City Deal was announced weeks ago—so nothing new there—and the Regional Jobs and Investment Package was announced at the election last year. So, consequently, there was nothing new there.

But what is new is that this government are so far out of touch that they are slugging ordinary Australians to put more money into millionaires' back pockets. That is what they are doing. Millionaires get a $16,400 increase in their pay—that is the difference between them and working Australians. And we know, because they seem to be so proud of it, that the government are moving towards trying to ensure that hardworking young Australians do not have the same access to university as most of the people in this chamber had. That is what this government are doing. They are not investing in young people. What they are doing is making sure that the big end of town is looked after—because that is what they do.

We have seen senators from that side come in since Tuesday night trying to defend a budget that they cannot defend. We know from at least the last four budgets that this government have brought down that, yes, there is a bit of a sugar hit for a day or so until we actually drill down and expose them for the frauds that they are. It is quite clear that Prime Minister Turnbull cannot be trusted. Prime Minister Turnbull has let the Australian people down time and time again. He cannot be trusted with Medicare and he cannot be trusted to protect the health system. We know that he certainly cannot be trusted when it comes to education, because $22 billion has been taken away from every Australian child in this country. That is what the government have done in terms of education.

We have seen, yet again, unemployment and youth unemployment increasing in our home state. I am disappointed that Senator Duniam, who is in the chamber, thinks it is such a light-hearted matter to talk about young people and the unemployment rate, when we know what a severe crisis we have in our home state of Tasmania. The government are targeting young Australians. They are targeting people who cannot get a job, who are out there every day trying to get a job. What are the government doing? They are doing what they always do—that is, slug ordinary Australians to protect the big end of town.

I listened very intently to the budget on Tuesday night. And what did I hear that was there for aged care and ageing Australians? There was absolutely nothing, except for one small thing—

Senator Duniam interjecting—

I am not in government, Senator Duniam.

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