Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

We are a Labor government and we always seek to do the right thing by Australian families. Remember, Mr President, it was those opposite who implemented Work Choices and who are seeking to take back the family tax benefit increases that are part of the carbon package. It is those opposite who are seeking to take back the increases to the disability support pension, the increases to the age pension, also part of the clean energy package. It is those opposite who are saying to Australians, 'We want you to pay more to reduce emissions.' That is the message from the opposition: 'We want you to pay at least double the cost of what the government is putting forward and we will ask you to do it without assistance.' So do not come into this chamber, Senator Cormann, and lecture us about families. You are the ones who want to make sure working families pay more and you are saying to those high emitting companies, 'We want you to pay less.' They are the same priorities that see you wanting to ensure that you give a tax break to wealthy miners over Australian families. (Time expired)