Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Last night the government revealed that it will force young people under 30 into poverty by cutting them off all forms of income support if they cannot find a job. Why is the Prime Minister expecting young Australians to bear the pain of his deceit? What does the Prime Minister expect them to live on?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The difficulty with members opposite is that they want this country to live constantly beyond its means, to keep making payments that it cannot afford, with borrowed money. That is the problem with members opposite. They want this country to continue making payments we cannot afford, with borrowed money.

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I raise a point of order on relevance. This is about people who will have nothing to live on. How are they expected to get—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We expect people under 30, the young people of Australia, to be either earning or learning.

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Perth will desist.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We expect them to be in employment or, if for whatever reason they are not in employment, we expect them to be improving their skills and receiving the support the Commonwealth government quite rightly provides to people who are improving their skills, including youth allowance.

Honourable members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Grayndler and the member for Gorton will desist.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And I want to make it absolutely crystal clear to the shadow minister opposite, who presumably did not look at every element in the budget—

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gorton will desist.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

that we are making it much easier to go to university, to do a diploma, to do an apprenticeship or a traineeship with our Trade Support Loans.

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is too much noise on my left, including the member for Perth.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I say to the Leader of the Opposition, it is not kind to put people on social security when there is an alternative.

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gorton will desist or leave—one or the other.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is always a training or education alternative available to the young people of Australia, and if they are not in employment, we should encourage them to take it.