Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The government's budget reveals a lack of judgement, a misreading of the times and an absence of practical wisdom. If Labor were to accept some advice, I would offer this. You don't restore trust in government by breaking promises. You don't make the life of individuals better by making government bigger. You don't solve a cost-of-living crisis by raising taxes. You don't solve a housing crisis by increasing rents and building fewer homes. You don't create a more productive economy by penalising those who invest. You don't make young people wealthy by making their parents poorer. You don't aid future generations by denying them the benefits enjoyed by previous generations. You don't support people creating a nest egg for their loved ones by introducing a death tax. You don't create a more dynamic economy by punishing those who take risks. You don't help working families build for their future by driving up income taxes. You don't help small businesses by whacking a big tax on the distribution of their assets. You don't build a nation by tearing down the pioneers and the entrepreneurs.

See this speech in context