Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last night the government delivered a budget—a budget that does not address systemic economic and social failures in this country. We know this because, after eight years of inaction from this Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government, we have the data to prove it. How is Australia performing compared with other countries? How are Australians going in their eighth year of this government? The answer is detailed but also very simple. The member for Bruce has drawn on the most reputable sources of information in the world, and I thank him for this motion. The answer is clear: Australia is underperforming. We are all in a weaker position because of the Liberal government. Australia is less productive, more unequal, more corrupt, less happy, more indebted, less affluent and less trusting of public institutions than when this Liberal government was elected in 2013.

Pre-COVID, Australia sat third last in the OECD, out of 35 countries, for wages growth. Last night the government published their plan to keep wages down, particularly the wages of women. Over the eight years of the current government, Australia's productivity rate has been steadily declining, from 2013, when Australia was ranked 10th among 34 OECD nations, to 2018, when Australia was ranked fifth last. This government delivers marketing solutions to real-world problems, and the result is a poorer, weaker, underperforming and uncertain Australia.

Last night this government set out to take a victory lap on the back of the economic and personal sacrifices made by the Australian people and their state governments. The problem for the federal government is that Victorians remember what happened. They remember that the Andrews government called on Victorians to come together to do what was needed to keep us all safe—and Victorians did. They remember the sacrifice they made to keep their families, their communities and their country safe. They remember that it was hard; it was very hard. But they know it was the right thing to do, because every state and territory has followed Victoria's leadership and because the places that didn't lock down are disproportionately suffering now.

They also remember the Treasurer coming into parliament and shrieking about lockdowns. They remember the Prime Minister playing political games with his cabinet about COVID restrictions in the Labor-led but not coalition-led states. Victorians know that the Treasurer can and should take about as much credit for this economic forecast as he can for the weather forecast, because Victorians know that any improved economic outlook belongs to their sacrifice. They know that this forecast belongs to them.

Everything the federal government touched through COVID got botched. They shirked their constitutional responsibility for quarantine and the vaccine rollout. Consequently, we've lost months and months of valuable time in which to deliver a timely and effective rollout. And they put all their eggs in one basket with the AstraZeneca vaccine—not a wise decision. But we should not be surprised, because botched ideology and mismanaged media strategies are what this government has presided over for eight long years. The growth forecast is improved, but the debt has more than doubled, and wages have not increased. The government have hung a 'mission accomplished' banner out, without doing enough to fix the system and protect the vulnerable in the aged-care sector. And the economy will still suffer, because this government cannot get it into their head that child care is an investment. Last night we saw the kinds of political fixes that give birth to the long-term problems raised by this courageous motion by the good member for Bruce—eight long, hard years.

Labor have different priorities, and our leader will tomorrow night outline these priorities to fix the broken system under the coalition government. Our priorities are secure, well-paid jobs alongside cleaner and cheaper energy and robust emissions reduction targets. Our priorities are getting the settings right so that this country rewards effort, not inheritance. Our priorities are about working towards an Australia that can again take pride in what we make here, how we treat each other, how we treat women and how we provide opportunities for all. This is the Australia that the people of my electorate are striving for and one that I will fight for every day.

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