House debates

Wednesday, 2 March 2016

Statements by Members

Australian Labor Party

1:45 pm

Photo of Joanne RyanJoanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Like my classmate from 2013, the member for Rankin, I rise today to celebrate the 20 years of service from the members for Wills, Jagajaga, Grayndler, Hunter and Senator Conroy in the other place. I want to speak of the contribution, knowledge and wisdom that they have shared with those of us who have joined this parliament so recently. I want to say that their experience in this team is what has driven this opposition to bring to bear such power in this place in this term of parliament.

We stand here as an opposition with 50 policies in the field ready for a Shorten-led government to win an election compared to a government that has no tax policy, that is saying no to everything that is put in front of it. With a Prime Minister who is going to walk through that door for question time, the only space the government has to go back to is the 2014 budget. On this side of the House, we have a proud team with wisdom who knows what the Australian public needs. We have a team prepared to work for the Australian people. On that side of House, we have a government going to bring back the diabolical, the cruel unfair measures of the 2014 budget because what they want to do is support the wealthy at the expense of the low- and middle-income earners in this country. I cannot wait to walk through that door with a Shorten-led Labor government.