Simon Kennedy (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What will the Easter bunny be bringing this year? A couple of chocolates? A bunny? A lolly or two? How about an eye-watering power bill? How about a mortgage repayment that makes your eyes water as well? How about grocery prices that make you think twice about inviting family or friends over for that Easter lunch?

For some families this year, the Easter bunny won't be making an appearance. They won't even be able to afford the fuel to go away with friends for the long weekend or to see extended family. When parents should be getting ready to take a break, unwind and spend time with family and extended family, instead they're going to be thinking about how they'll afford the extra $27,000 in mortgage interest alone, or the extra $1,400 in energy bills, or the extra $1,400 in fuel, or wondering about the fuel rationing the Prime Minister might announce tonight.

Well, this reduced standard of living hasn't just come out of thin air. This government has been failing, year after year, to have the foresight to prevent crises. Energy is the economy. What we've done on electricity and gas was wholly foreseeable. This government is always flat-footed, behind and slow to react. I sometimes wonder: who would do a better job—the Easter bunny, or the Prime Minister in charge of this country?