Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

For two days now, the Prime Minister has travelled around from federation lectures to the parliament pontificating about how we should all think for the long term. This Prime Minister, the most narrow, negative politician in Australian history, is now trying to lecture Australians about planning for the future. Who does this person think he is—that a leopard cannot change his spots after 20 years of relentless negativity? When their unfair budget is failing desperately, the Prime Minister seeks to run up an emergency beacon saying, 'Hang on, we want to have a sensible, mature discussion about the generations ahead.' Well, Tony Abbott, here is our advice about your sensible discussion: demonstrate your bona fides in higher education. Nothing can be more important to the future of this country than higher education and the opportunities that our young have to better themselves and to contribute to this nation.

This Prime Minister has the temerity and the cheek, and he almost convinced me that he is so out of touch except that I just do not believe him. He knows that his plan for Australia is to radically recast it and to create two Australia's. He has a chance to demonstrate—don't shake head over there, Sunshine! You know I'm right.

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