Susan Lamb (Longman, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Let me tell you, there are not too many millionaires in my electorate. I would like to know how anybody could even consider this as fair. How could anyone consider this budget, that is seeing every single Australian who earns less than $180,000 a year worse off, fair?

Instead of making life easier for people who are really struggling to get by, this Prime Minister decided to attack them with $21 billion in taxes—$21 billion! Instead, he is letting money flow overseas, with a huge $65 billion tax cut to big business. Instead, he is lining the pockets of millionaires with over $16,000 a year—$16,000! Let me tell you what $16,000 is in my electorate: that is 60 per cent of the median personal income of the people in Longman—$16,000.

One thing Australians know is where their Prime Minister's priorities lie. They lie with the rich and the wealthy, and so do the other members of this government. We cannot go too hard at all on this Prime Minister, because I do not think he knows any better. I do not think he has ever had to struggle to pay and go without a meal. If he has, I would like to hear about it. I do not think he has ever had to wonder about being able to afford to pay his rent. I wonder whether he has ever done that. I think people would expect our Prime Minister to listen to them, to find out what is going on, to try and understand how tough life can be on the other side of the coin, when you cannot afford to pay your rent and you cannot afford food.

Instead, people know who has their ear, and that is us—the Labor Party. We are listening to people, because when you listen you hear things.

Mr Pasin interjecting—

Member for Barker, you might be well advised to take some advice there. When you listen you hear things. We are hearing that people are saying they do not want the Turnbull government to give huge tax cuts to big businesses. That is what people are telling us. They should be paying their fair share—that is what people are telling us. On this side of the chamber what we hear is that Australian people know that this is an unfair budget. It is riddled with unfair priorities and it does nothing to further increase income equality in Australia. I can tell you that not once have I been stopped in the main street of Caboolture by someone who said, 'Please give my bank more money. Please make sure that they get a tax cut.' Not once! But let me tell you that the 85,000 people in Longman earning less than $52,000 a year need a break.

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