Geoff Lyons (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about Premier Campbell Newman's upcoming visit to my home state of Tasmania. It is an interesting choice to have Mr Newman as the keynote speaker at the Tasmanian Liberal Party fundraiser. Why isn't the Leader of the Opposition attending? Is he too ashamed to show his face in Tasmania after his flipping and flapping on GST distribution? Or is it because the Tasmanian Liberals see Mr Newman as their greatest inspiration? They obviously admire his slash-and-burn attack on the people of Queensland.

There is a clear precedent formed by Liberal state governments. In New South Wales, after slashing $1.7 billion from education earlier this year, Barry O'Farrell is now planning to take $3 billion out of health services. Campbell Newman is relishing the fight on jobs losses. He has slashed the Public Service. His budget has attacked the most vulnerable.

South Australian Liberals are the latest in the Liberal plan. Isobel Redman plans to slash 20,000 government jobs; and in Victoria Ted Baillieu is planning even more TAFE cuts, selling off campus after campus, lifting fees and sacking teachers.

Liberals in every state want to slash jobs and public services. Tony Abbott would do the same if he became Prime Minister. Let's not have him!