Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Treasurer. The Westpac consumer sentiment index reveals some 60 per cent of the falling consumer sentiment in May is attributed to the federal budget. Middle Australia is hurting. Why does Labor keep making it worse?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Longman will leave the chamber under 94(a). I can't believe he even tried that one, honestly.

The member for Longman then left the chamber.

Stephen Jones (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Bass for her question. We're proud of the budget we delivered 10 days ago. It's a budget that delivers for all Australians and delivers on our election commitments. It's a budget that ensures that, with a hard head, we're able to deliver in 12 months what this mob over here couldn't deliver in nine long years. That is a budget which is bringing the finances back under control.

Because we did bring the finances back under control—something that they promised to do for over eight years but couldn't deliver on—we're able to have a budget that also has a big heart. It has a big heart to ensure that we can fix the mess that they left us on Medicare. When we came into government, Medicare had been flogged to within an inch of its life. We ensured that we are tripling the payments for bulk billing to ensure that those who most need it are able to get to see a doctor. We're making medicines more affordable. We're making child care more affordable. As the Minister for Aged Care has just demonstrated, in a masterclass on how to respond to the ridiculousness from those opposite, we are ensuring that not only are residents in aged care getting the treatment they need but the people who look after them are getting the pay that they deserve. Step after step after step, the budget that we have delivered is ensuring that we're delivering on our promises, building more sustainable finances and also building a fairer Australia, something that that mob on that side couldn't do in eight tawdry long years.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Members on my left will cease interjecting. There is far too much noise.