Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

To the Leader of the Opposition: when will you stop this nonsense and start articulating policies for the nation's future? He comes into this parliament and quotes Cameron Clyne from the National Australia Bank. Get him on the phone and find out how he feels about your company tax increase, get him on the phone and ask him how much you are going to cost that bank, and get him on the phone and ask him how much of that is going to be passed through to people who have mortgages with the National Australia Bank. That should give you some information about how interest rates for people who are seeking to work hard, raise their families and buy their own home will be increased by your reckless policies and plans—just one thing you intend to do to hurt Australian families. Their interest rates will go up, their school kids bonus will be gone and their future that could be in high-wage and high-skill jobs will be destroyed by your recklessness.

The Leader of the Opposition has peddled falsehoods and nonsense for too long. He cannot—he is obviously unable to—articulate a vision for this country's future, other than the secret cuts that he does not want families to know about, and there is no better example than this question in question time today. National mood of gloom—that is the Leader of the Opposition. Positive plans for the future—that is what the government is doing: investing and creating a stronger, smarter and fairer nation.

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