Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I can remind the opposition, of course, that it is their interest rate rises over the last 10 years that have contributed to the position that we are now in. We are fighting inflation; we are putting downward pressure on inflation; we are consistent with ensuring that there is downward pressure on interest rates that are a consequence of the Liberals’ neglect over the last 11 years. I answered with the figure of Centrelink staff reductions—200 across Centrelink front-line staff and total staffing, which is in the order of about 26,000 employees. This portfolio is focused on delivering services to the front line, delivering services to those people in need, delivering services to those people that the opposition, when they were in government, neglected over the last 11 years. It is extraordinary for the opposition now to complain about a system that they put in place. My job now is to address the neglect that they left. (Time expired)