House debates

Thursday, 17 August 2017

Questions without Notice

Turnbull Government

2:06 pm

Photo of David ColemanDavid Coleman (Banks, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on how the government delivers on its commitments in an open and transparent manner? Is the Prime Minister aware of any alternative approaches?

Photo of Malcolm TurnbullMalcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. The government has made a series of commitments to the Australian people, and we are delivering on every single one of them—openly, transparently and honestly. We promised to deliver real reform to education, and we did—and we are delivering for the first time in the history of the Commonwealth transparent, consistent, national needs-based funding, something Labor talked about but never delivered, something Labor praised David Gonski for recommending but then ignored. We have delivered that. We promised to cut taxes for small and medium businesses, directly assisting millions of Australians across the country. We have delivered on that, and we have more to go.

We promised to grow the economy and create jobs, and we are delivering. Jobs and growth is not just a slogan; it is an outcome. Around 240,000 new jobs have been added in the last 12 months alone. We promised to return the rule of law to Australia's building and construction sector, and we had the mettle and the courage to prorogue the parliament, bring it back, ensure that the Senate rejected the ABCC bill a second time, dissolve both houses, call a double dissolution and come back here—and that is now delivered law. We're bringing an end to the CFMEU's thuggery and lawlessness. We've promised to fully fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and the legislation to deliver that has been introduced into the House today. That will provide Australians who have a disability with the certainty of funding to which they are entitled—certainty for 460,000 Australians who have a severe and permanent disability, who will now be able to live their lives with dignity, thanks to that scheme, and know that the money is there. Parents of children with disability will know the funding will be there for their children when they themselves are no longer there.

This is providing a security, an integrity, that Labor failed to deliver. We are delivering that, and we call on Labor once again to back this reform in, because the NDIS deserves to be fully funded. By contrast, if you look at the Leader of the Opposition, what has he opposed lately? It's a long list. He has opposed in the Senate and in this House legislation that does no more than stop businesses paying corrupting benefits to unions. He has opposed transparency and he has opposed integrity. (Time expired)