Keith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. But this bill is about repairing Labor's waste, and it is great to set some examples. These are examples that we are aware of and they need to be known to the Australian people. I think it is important that we demonstrate what they are and we continue on that path.

In my region of Hinkler, people were told that they would be connected to the National Broadband Network by Christmas, would you believe? After six years, they would have it in four months. It was a ridiculous outcome. Our plan to use a mix of technologies will save taxpayers $32 billion, keep monthly bills lower and deliver the NBN to all Australians, four years sooner than under Labor's plan. The average household bill will be $72 per month compared with $139 per month under Labor's plan.

SIHIP was also out of control under Labor. In its first year the scheme was double over budget and had failed to deliver a single house. There was no transparency in expenditure. As an ,example the Labor government spent $42 million on consultants on house design in the Northern Territory, only to ignore the advice they received. Targets were only met because the Labor government continually lowered the bar on building standards. Much of the work was what is referred to as 'fix and make safe', instead of the complete renovations that were promised.

In 2006, before the scheme started, 75 per cent of Indigenous people lived in overcrowded dwellings. In 2011, despite the government spending $1.7 billion on Indigenous housing, the figure remained at 75 per cent. Quick fixes were the hallmark of the Rudd and Gillard governments. They threw money at problems, but the only results they delivered were more debt and deficit.

The Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook released in December last year forecast a $47 billion deficit in 2013-14 and $123 billion worth of cumulative deficits over the forward estimates. So, despite the Rudd and Gillard governments asking Australians to pay 43 new or increased taxes in 2013-14 alone, they spent $47 billion more than they earned. Under Labor, real government spending grew at around 3.5 per cent over the five years from 2007-08 to 2012-13 and is expected to grow further to 3.7 per cent over the medium term.

If we were to retain the policies we inherited, the budget would not return to surplus within the 10-year medium-term projections, with gross debt on issue increasing to $667 billion. For those mums and dads who are listening to this speech, in simple terms it means this: if you continue to spend more than you earn, and you fill your credit card and you fill the credit card that is sent to you in the mail, you will eventually have to pay the money back and there will be very, very difficult decisions. We are getting on with those decisions.

Politicians talk about debt and deficit and use fancy terminology like 'horizontal fiscal equalisation'. But at the end of the day Australians just want to know that they are getting a fair go. They want to know that we, their elected representatives, are spending their hard-earned money wisely to deliver the services and infrastructure that they need. Under Labor, Australia was living beyond its means. We were spending more than we earned, year after year after year, leaving future generations with a massive credit card bill. That is not sustainable.

This bill, to put an end to the $900 stimulus cheques, is another step towards prudent and responsible budget management. The adults are in the room and they are back in charge.

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