Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Revenue and Financial Services. Two years ago, the government received a report which confirmed that vulnerable Australians already struggling to get by are being ripped off by unscrupulous payday lenders who charge massive interest and leave people in crippling debt they don't have a chance of repaying. Two years on from this report, with vulnerable Australians still being exploited, why has the minister failed to introduce legislation to end dodgy behaviour in this industry?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The portfolio matters that the member refers to are actually the responsibility of the Assistant Minister to the Treasurer, who I represent in this House. The matters which the member refers to continue to have the very close attention of government. This government is very concerned about the impacts on people on low incomes, to ensure that they do not get themselves into greater difficulty. But I'll say this to the member: under this government, there are fewer people today of working age who are dependent on welfare than there have been in the last 25 years. That's what we're doing for people who are under financial pressure; we're getting them a job. We're putting them in jobs. Over 400,000 people got a job under this government.

Mr Dick interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will resume his seat. The member for Oxley is interjecting uncontrollably. If he opens his mouth once more during the Treasurer's answer, he'll be out.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Under this government, our most disadvantaged Australians are getting the best opportunity they can get, which is a job. A job is what transforms their lives. A job is what pulls them out of poverty. On this side of the House, we believe in a working nation. On that side, they believe in a welfare nation. On this side of the House, we know that Australians want to have the best opportunities and do the right thing by their families and themselves by dragging themselves up and taking opportunities. On that side of the House, they have such a small vision of what Australians can do. On this side of the House, we believe in them. We believe in what Australians want to achieve for themselves and we're going to keep backing them every single day.

Eleven hundred jobs a day were created last year under this government, as more and more people went off the welfare queues and onto the wage queues. It's about time the Leader of the Opposition stopped standing in the way of a pay rise for those workers by allowing businesses to invest more in them rather than paying more tax to the government. This is a government that is getting debt under control, getting the balance under control and seeing wages go up. That's what this government is doing. He should support us to create jobs.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.