Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, my question is to the Treasurer. The coalition promised no new taxes and no cuts to health. I refer to Lauren Allen, a single mother in Canberra whose child has a rare autoimmune condition. What is the impact of the GP tax on people with rare autoimmune conditions and why is the Treasurer making parents like Lauren pay for his government's broken promises?

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

I thank the honourable member for the question. I obviously understand how challenging it would be for that mother to raise her child. I do not know the particular circumstances that you have provided. Of course, she may well be receiving a single-parent pension and might be receiving carer payments. I am not sure if she is also receiving family tax benefits. I am not familiar with the circumstances. I would be happy to entertain them.

I do note that, if she is a single parent on a pension, it was the previous Labor government that removed 60,000 single mothers from the single-parent pension onto Newstart. In fact, I remember the Leader of the Opposition sidling to me over there and saying, 'Please help me to take 60,000 women off the single mothers pension to put them onto the lesser payment in Newstart.' How about that, Bill? Do you remember that?

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

The Treasurer will resume his seat.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Your budget is a success!

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, it is not unreasonable to ask the Treasurer to be directly relevant to the situation of a single mum who has a child in this situation.

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

It is very wide ranging. The member will resume his seat.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, Madam Speaker, it is about—

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

The member will resume his seat! The preamble to the question makes it a very broad question. The Treasurer has the call.

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

So I would say to the honourable member that everything we are doing is about trying to make the welfare and health systems sustainable into the future. Everything we are doing is about ensuring that that lady's child is going to have a better quality of life than might have happened. Everything we are doing is about ensuring that we can try and lift the opportunities for everyday Australians, rather than be in a situation where we end up with a lesser quality of life in the future than that which we enjoy now. That can only happen if, as a generation, we as Australians pay our way. That can only happen if we ensure, as Australians, we live within our means, because we currently have—

Ms O'Neil interjecting—

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

The member for Hotham will desist!

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

a health system where the Labor Party buried costs into it that they never provided the money for, and they built a welfare system that has costs built into it which they never provided the money for, and they built an NDIS—which we support—which is not fully funded. The Labor Party went and built a National Disability Insurance Scheme and claimed that they were going to fund it. And, of course, they never fully funded it. We will pick up the pieces of a reckless Labor government. We will ensure that tomorrow is better than today for that lady. And we will ensure that we can sustain our quality of life, sustain our quality of education—

Mr Shorten interjecting—

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

The Leader of the Opposition will desist!

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

sustain our welfare system and give her hope that her child will have an excellent quality of life.