Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It's interesting to note that the member for Canberra couldn't even use up her full five minutes in trying to rebut the arguments in the member's excellent MPI. Just to correct the record for the member for Canberra in relation to the piece of legislation she referred to: the opposition actually did support that piece of legislation. We moved an amendment to actually allow people who are on unemployment benefits to earn more money than what the government was proposing under their legislation. So if she's looking for something positive that the opposition has put on the table, there is example No. 1.

In addition, in the Leader of the Opposition's budget-in-reply speech to the government's first budget—bearing in mind that the May budget was their second budget—we also moved a similar proposal for those on pension incomes to increase the income-free amount that they could earn before their pension started to be reduced. So we have put positive items on the agenda for discussion. It was actually the government that voted down people on unemployment benefits being able to earn more money before their unemployment benefits were cut. This at the very time we have four hundred and something thousand vacancies in this country and 800,000 people on unemployment benefits. The coalition has always been focused on seeking to provide the environment and framework for people who are unemployed to get back into work. We know the benefits that that provides to Australians.

More importantly, in relation to this MPI, we have seen 11 interest rate rises in the past 12 months and inflation stuck at nearly seven per cent under the current Prime Minister and this government. It's worth reminding the chamber that this government increased spending in the latest budget by $185 billion over and above what it was spending previously. If we think that is any way to reduce the pressure on the inflation rate, then think again. And it's hardworking Australians who pay the price. When they want to get ahead, they are actually going backwards. We see that each and every day, whether it's in grocery prices or in mortgages going up.

We still have another $880-odd thousand people on fixed rate mortgages who will come off their fixed rates in the second half of this year. I know from talking to my constituents that they are extraordinarily worried about the impact on their finances of moving from a fixed rate to a variable rate. We are slowly seeing first home buyers' dreams evaporate and slip away as interest rates rise under this government. We are seeing renters continue to struggle as the housing crisis continues. We're seeing them forced to deal with higher and higher rents. This is in addition to ever-growing costs in electricity, groceries and a range of other ordinary day-to-day expenses that people can't do without.

We see each and every day Australians struggling and going backwards. And those opposite want to say that it's imported. Well, it's not. It's coming from those opposite and their inability to rein in their spending to take the pressure off inflation. We have seen consumer confidence cratering, and the most significant concern for consumers is that continued inflation. To look at that more locally, in the last four weeks alone, in my electorate of Forde, Lighthouse Care Loganholme have had some 500 families come through their doors requiring assistance. They now provide over 200 home deliveries each week. Last month, the Twin Rivers Centre at Eagleby had 900 families who needed emergency relief, up from 80 in April. All of these are examples of this government failing to do its job and look after vulnerable Australians.

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