Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker Broadbent. As we know, the coalition is committed to ending what is Labor's addiction to unremitting budget deficits and spiralling national debt.

The Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government never achieved a surplus. Let's hear: when was the last time a Labor government achieved a budget surplus? I do not think anybody can remember. That is a trick question, and of course we know that Labor's spend, spend, spendathon is being continued even when they are in opposition. They only have one plan, and that is to continue to spend.

I wonder whether the Labor members opposite care to think about the small businesses that have so benefited through the last budget and all of the decisions by this government. Some of them are actually the farmers that we heard being put down in the 'barnyard' comment just a few minutes ago—an appalling reflection. To think that those same businesses are out there working constantly for the benefit of not only their own businesses and families but their local communities and the broader economy.

We have committed significantly to small business. As everybody knows: small business is a major driver of the Australian economy, and we have directly and actively encouraged, through the budget process, small businesses in Australia. There have been a lot of decisions: developing northern Australia; boosting productivity and reducing regulation—even science and innovation. Some people and businesses are very excited about our innovation policy.

People can see a lot of opportunity in this space. They can see that not only do we have a vision and a plan but we also have restraint and we are very focused on economic management. That is what we saw reflected recently. In fact, I think the coalition government is giving a lot more confidence to people right around Australia—certainly in relation to their housing values and the value they place in those same houses.

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