Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

In Queensland and New South Wales today people are waking up to the stark reality of the values that drive the Liberal Party—indiscriminately wielding the axe, particularly in health and education. In Queensland there has been the loss of 14,000 jobs of key workers, in health in particular. All of those cuts have the cold-hearted stamp of approval of the Leader of the Opposition. Just yesterday we saw cuts to education in New South Wales—$1.7 billion was ripped out of education.

In both New South Wales and Queensland every parent and every pupil fears the reckless approach to these vital areas of public policy that comes from the Liberal Party. We know when the Liberals swing the axe who gets the chop. We know that it is nurses, hospital workers, and working men and women. And the people who need those government services are the people who feel the chop. What is going on in New South Wales and Queensland now is just the warm-up act for the Leader of the Opposition, who has given his seal of approval to the cuts in both New South Wales and Queensland.

In Queensland what we are seeing is a very cruel and destructive budget. It is a budget that speaks volumes about Campbell Newman, Tony Abbott and the entire Liberal Party. We on this side of the House will always stand up for responsible fiscal policy, and of course that is standing up for working Australians. Those on the other side of the House want to cut them down.

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