Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

That is right: 'I'll offer you a home loan!'

The challenge in the Australian economy at the moment is that this government is not concerned about the fundamentals, which include improving productivity. This government has not lifted a finger on productivity. This week we have seen the government, the Labor Party, as the acting Prime Minister said, return to true form. They always look at the opportunity to engage in class war. They were so focused on the interests of the unions this week that they forgot the people out there that get on the planes. They were so focused on the unions this week that they forgot the interests of the miners that take the risk—invest the money to deliver the minerals to the marketplace that pay our bills.

The government was so focused on its own internal politics this week—the battle between the member for Griffith and the Prime Minister—that they did not recognise the signals from the Reserve Bank that the economy is not performing as well as was expected. Of course, the acting Prime Minister would say that this is the fault of the Europeans. Falling consumer confidence is not the fault of the Europeans. Falling consumer confidence comes when everyday Australians face higher bills—higher utility bills in electricity and water—higher transportation costs, higher health costs, higher rents, higher housing costs and construction costs. The falling building construction numbers and falling consumer confidence are alarming because they represent the fact that the Australian consumer has not got the confidence to go through. As far as I and the coalition are concerned, you do not build consumer confidence by introducing new taxes. You do not build Australian business confidence by taxing those that are most successful. You do not help the Australian economy by offering money, which Australia does not have, to a cause that Australia should not be involved in at this point of time. The fundamental point is that this is a directionless government that is focused on its own achievements of power and preservation of power rather than on the interests of the Australian people. And long may it continue until the day when we throw them out of government. (Time expired)

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