House debates

Tuesday, 10 August 2021

Statements by Members

Morrison Government

1:45 pm

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

The Morrison Liberal federal government are not on the side of ordinary Australians. We've had evidence of that again today, with debt notices given to ordinary Australians while there's been a refusal to peruse big business for billions of dollars in the same program. They're not on your side, and we know it—otherwise, they'd have fixed the quarantine issues in this country and we'd have purpose-built quarantine. If they were on the ordinary side of Australians, they'd have ensured supply of vaccine. It's 18 months and more into this pandemic. We wouldn't be in a lockdown in my community if the government were on our side. If they were on our side, they'd have a plan for the climate crisis, they'd have a plan for renewables, and they could answer the critical question: what is the cost of no action? But they're not on our side.

My community is in lockdown currently. I have many, many families in isolation, doing 14 days quarantine and following the rules. My community are really fortunate because they have a state government that is on their side. They have a state government that's ensuring that they can get tested locally. They have a state government that's ensuring that locals in my community are getting vaccinated. They are working overtime to support the people in my community. They have a state government that's ensuring that there's financial support to support those families to ensure that they can get tested and that they can live in quarantine.

Australians have the best BS radars in the world, and they are onto this Prime Minister. They know that he doesn't want to take responsibility and he doesn't mean what he says.