Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) | Hansard source

Unsurprisingly to all, I'm sure, I'm rising to speak against the motion moved in this place by the member for Forde. However, the tenor of the motion by the member for Forde, much like my disposition towards it, would surprise nobody in this place either. Not only is it a motion which fully demonstrates the myopic nature of the debate peddled by those opposite—and this goes for their hot takes on the economy—to add insult to injury, the member for Forde, at that exact same time he accuses the government of blame-shifting on productivity, indulges in blame-shifting. The member for Forde notes the recent decline in labour productivity accounts for almost half the gains made under the coalition government yet fails to mention the weakest quarter in that time was one almost entirely comprising the last hurrah of the Morrison government.

The member for Forde shouldn't get suckered in by the member for Hume when he puts sensationalist statistics out there, along with a self-serving conclusion. The member has form. I'm not urging caution due to imputing nefarious intent by the member for Hume. He has a proven track record of being bad at maths, the shadow Treasurer. We hear it from those opposite all the time. These arguments are almost akin to having the old tenants handing over the keys to the new after being evicted when the house is on fire, with a raging inferno roaring outside, then start imputing we didn't have the presence of mind to call 000 before moving in. Suffice to say I don't think those opposite are getting their bond back any time soon.

Yet they have the mendacity to call any talk of this 'blame-shifting'. The member for Forde continues by saying blame-shifting is 'no substitute for a lack of the growth plan for the economy'. I'll ignore the syntax, but since the member is crying out for the government to have a plan and take real action to address labour productivity, I don't feel so afraid to tell him about it. It is one of the main reasons why the Albanese Labor government has put jobs and skills on the top of the agenda from the very beginning, looking at this situation holistically, striving for ways to address immediate and short-term needs and also to lay foundations for long-term, long-lasting reforms that future-proof our economy.

Our government is also one that is in the business of building infrastructure that adds value not just to our communities but to our economy as a whole, not just white elephant projects that don't stack up and don't undergo any form of cost-benefit analysis beyond a few spreadsheets and pin-ups on maps overlaid with electorates. Infrastructure that brings about long-term benefits is more than just roads. It is digital infrastructure. Our national broadband network was set up with the future in mind: something that adds value to our nation and brings us closer to the standard of connectivity that other countries have had the ability to access for decades.

During their nine years in government, those opposite made a conscious effort to deliver the NBN faster, cheaper and with more affordability. I think that's what they said. Again, putting the syntax of that aside, in truth we are lagging so far behind other countries, and our productivity suffers as a result of this change to the trajectory of what was meant to be future-proofed public infrastructure. I'm in no position to accuse those opposite of scavenging through Labor's plans for a proper national broadband network, because at least scavengers take out copper, not put copper back into things.

Let us also examine how genuinely interested the member for Forde and his side of the chamber are to see a plan to grow our economy. The first example to come to mind is that, not all that long ago, those opposite voted against the National Reconstruction Fund in this place. We have the NRF in spite of them, rather than as a bipartisan effort. It is a policy that so many sectors within our economy were crying out for, but, no, we were met with opposition for the sake of it. We also have a plan to increase the supply of social and affordable housing—something that is poised to boost labour participation and productivity. And what did those opposite do? We know exactly what they did. The same folk that reflexively say, 'Labor-Green coalition,' in their sleep have spent their waking moments in this parliament joining the Greens to block affordable housing. They sleepwalk towards losing their place in growing Australia and making it ready to participate in tomorrow's global economy. Frankly, a debate on productivity is only productive when both sides of this chamber come into it with their eyes wide open. Let's have one sometime.

See this speech in context