Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

As we near the end of this parliament and nine years of coalition governments, it is timely, as we head towards the federal election, to reflect on the government's record. A three-minute statement is not sufficient time to cover every issue, so I will summarise my observations. What is prominent in people's minds is that, over the past nine years, there has been a revolving door of prime ministers, deputy prime ministers, government Senate leaders and ministerial office holders.

This has been a coalition government characterised by dishonesty, disunity, rorts and incompetence, a government wracked by several disgraced ministers who have presided over the $1 billion robodebt debacle, which also cost people's lives; the ongoing crisis in aged care; the deterioration of national health services; and worsening inequality, with the highest 10 per cent of households, by wealth, now owning almost half of all wealth and the lowest 60 per cent owning just 16 per cent.

Australia's education outcomes have markedly fallen compared with other countries.

On climate change, Australia now ranks near the bottom of 61 countries on the global performance index. Australia has the second-highest level of biodiversity deterioration in the world.

Then there is the Morrison government's total mismanagement of the NBN rollout. Not only did it nearly double the cost, from $29 billion to well over $50 billion, but NBN speeds are amongst the slowest in the developed world.

The Great Barrier Reef is at serious risk.

Australia's foreign aid contributions are at an all-time low.

The first nuclear submarine—after the government has spent nine years in office and is now into its third proposal—is not likely to be in service for another two decades.

Whilst Australians call for more honesty in government, the Morrison government refuses to have a national integrity commission. But it has stacked the courts and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal with its mates, many of whom are underqualified for the job. In other attempts to avoid scrutiny it has cut $783 million from the ABC and millions from the National Audit Office.

The coalition killed off Australian car making but now pretentiously talks about backing Australian manufacturing.

And at a time when it talks up national security it has presided over the 99-year lease of the Port of Darwin.

The Morrison government has reached its use-by date. It is tired. It has no vision, little credibility and a trillion dollars of debt to its name. It is little wonder that the Morrison government is once again relying on a dishonest national security scare campaign for the upcoming election. We saw that again in question time today. That's because the government has nothing left to run with, and the Australian voters will see through the spin come election time.