Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, my question is to the Treasurer. Stuart Edwards is a constituent of mine who is a single dad with four young kids. He is studying at university part time while working, and because of the Treasurer's budget he expects to lose more than $3,000 a year from family tax benefit cuts. Why is the Treasurer not only hitting Stuart's family with family tax benefit cuts but also saddling him with a debt sentence for the cost of his degree?

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. I, firstly, want to express admiration for the individual you referred to and the fact that he is undertaking study and raising his children. That is quite a contribution to make. But it is also, importantly, an investment in his future and it is an investment in his children's future. Of course, if he is studying at university he is being heavily subsidised by taxpayers to the tune of about 60 per cent. About 60 per cent of his fees are being paid for by everyday Australians paying tax.

Ms Collins interjecting—

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

The member for Franklin!

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Now that is a good start.

Ms Collins interjecting—

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

The member for Franklin is warned!

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The second thing I would point out is that whatever fees he is accruing now he is also going to have to repay under a system that the Labor Party introduced. How about that? The Labor Party is now critical of the higher education system loan scheme that they actually introduced, so I say to the honourable member that if he is critical of that scheme, then he should criticise himself.

The third thing I would say to the honourable member is that when money comes from the government it inevitably comes from another taxpayer. And, ultimately, if it comes from another taxpayer, that other taxpayer needs to have a job, as does maybe that man need to have a job as well. The bottom line is—

Opposition members interjecting—

Ms Hall interjecting—

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

There will be silence on my left, and the member for Shortland will desist!

Mr Fitzgibbon interjecting—

And the member for Hunter will be smoking soon too.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If he is working part time, then he obviously would have a job as well. It is perfectly reasonable that he is working part time, studying and also raising children. It is not uncommon.

Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He is working full time and studying part time!

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the circumstances, and I am not familiar with his specific circumstances, there is someone else who is working and paying taxes who is helping him through his degree and helping him in his everyday life. I would say to that man: 'We want to continue to provide that sort of support. We really do'.

Ms Collins interjecting—

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

The member for Franklin will leave under 94(a).

The member for Franklin then left the chamber.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But the problem is that the Labor Party left us with $123 billion of deficits and debt rising to $667 billion and that sort of scheme is not sustainable unless we deliver the decisions now that are going to make sure that that sort of support, through education and welfare, is sustainable into the future.