Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

There was the Medicare levy and the gun buyback scheme, with increases to the Medicare levy that you put in place. There was the aircraft noise levy for jet aircraft landings at certain airports. That was $155, adjusted for inflation and imposed on the operator of the aircraft. That is the opposition’s flood of levies.

Our flood recovery levy is modest when you reflect on what previous, coalition governments have done over the years. It is modest, but the difference it will make to the lives of so many is immeasurable. Contrast our plan to the half-constructed, rushed, short-sighted plan of the opposition—a headline rather than a real plan—which consists of deferrals and will leave our budget with a $1 billion hole in the next financial year. But who is surprised? During the federal election, the opposition put forward promises that were uncosted and would have left us with an $11 billion black hole.

It seems that the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow Treasurer have yet to learn anything about economics, after unveiling their $2 billion in spending cuts and deferrals. The cuts to programs in this ‘plan’ were part of the $50 billion budget cutbacks the opposition took to the election. More than half of the spending cuts proposed by the opposition are deferrals. Mr Abbott’s plan is a big risk, particularly to our national security and our national growth.

The lack of compassion and the lack of common sense and decency shown by the Leader of the Opposition have come at a time of devastation. We all know Mr Abbott will do and say anything to become Prime Minister of this country, but why would you do it during a time of national disaster, when people have lost lives, homes, friends and family? Instead of supporting those in Queensland, the Leader of the Opposition’s first thought was to try and persuade the Independent members to make him Prime Minister, telling the Sunday Age that the Independents should ‘start to reconsider their decision’ to support Labor. This was while most of Queensland was under water.

As Cyclone Yasi bore down on Queensland, Tony Abbott’s signature appeared on an email that asked for donations—not for support for the victims, not even for the Liberal Party, but purely to campaign against the government’s flood recovery levy. It was a request for donations directly to the Liberal Party, rather than for those who need our full support and attention. I am astonished and shocked that a levy supporting Australians, the people those opposite claim to represent, is being used as political ammunition by the opposition. The Prime Minister recently referred to Mr Abbott as having a tin heart, and I am starting to think that it is a prerequisite for Liberal Party preselection. A levy no different to the ones established by previous governments is being opposed for nothing more than political gain. But at what cost? The only people the opposition want to benefit are themselves, not the many Australians that truly need our support. You could say they are Liberals first and Australians second.

My advice to those opposite is: drop the politics. As leaders of communities and elected representatives we should be standing together, uniting to rebuild together. Let us put the politics aside and work together for the sake of not just the people of Queensland but all the people affected across our nation. Let us do them proud, as they do us proud every day when they are out there working and rebuilding.

When one Australian falls, we all fall. But what is unique about the people of this country is that we help each other get back up again. This is why I give my full support to the flood levy, because like many other Australians I feel it is my duty to give to the communities that need help and need it now. We are with you, Queensland. My community is with you, all Australians are with you and this government is with you all the way.

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