George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

You face the Australian people whenever you have the courage to do so, Senator Conroy, and explain why on your watch water and sewerage rates have gone up by 58 per cent. You face the Australian people next year or the year after and explain to them why on your watch education costs have gone up by 24 per cent. You face the Australian people and tell them why on your watch fruit and vegetable prices have gone up by 33 per cent and grocery prices overall have gone up by 15 per cent.

Senator Wong interjecting—

And what are you doing about it, Senator Wong? I will tell you what you are doing about it. Rather than trying to ameliorate the problem, rather than dealing with the cost-of-living pressures on ordinary families, the kitchen table pressures, what you are doing is introducing a tax to make a bad situation worse.