Alex Gallacher (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too rise to make a contribution to this matter of public importance debate. Whilst it is true that we have a new Prime Minister and that Prime Minister Abbott is no longer at the wheel, so to speak, it is important to put on the public record once again that Mr Turnbull sold out on climate change to get the top job, sold out his position on marriage equality to get the top job and has compromised and sold out his position on a republic to get the top job. That is not a bad trifecta! Things that he has had widely-held and deeply-felt views about have been put aside to take the top job.

It is very important to also put on the public record his public comments about the Abbott government. Prime Minister Turnbull has publicly supported the worst of the Abbott cuts and broken promises. He supported every measure in the Abbott and Hockey unfair budgets, with the comment:

I support unreservedly and wholeheartedly every element in the budget. Every single one.

He supported the GP tax. He said:

I support every element, of course, including the Medicare co-payment.

He supported the $100,000 degrees and cuts to university funding. He said:

I support the reforms to higher education.

He supported cuts to family payments. He said:

I support the changes to family payment reform.

He supported the $80 billion cuts to schools and hospitals. 'Of course, every single member of the government supports every element of the budget'—that was his public statement.

We know that as communications minister the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull delivered a slower, second-rate NBN process and doubled the cost. While we are at it, let's look at the promise of no cuts to the ABC or SBS. As minister he cut $254 million from the ABC and $25 million from SBS. So all of the work that Tony Abbott was castigated for which caused his backbench to revolt and overthrow him is being continued as we speak every day of the current Turnbull government.

We heard Senator Macdonald's contribution. I suppose on the bright side he went from the worst day of his life when Prime Minister Abbott dumped him to, in this last year of the government, probably sniffing an opportunity. If there is a coalition win, will he make a comeback? Will the worst day of his life when he was dumped as a potential minister mysteriously turn into someone recognising his talents and promoting him? His contribution certainly seemed to be in that vein. He was out here auditioning for a role in a future Turnbull government.

I want to go back to question time. If you listened to question time and this debate you probably think there are two parallel universes. In the debate on funding in education we are painting one clear picture and the government is saying something completely different. Senator Birmingham let his guard down a bit when he mentioned that money is not the only way of improving education. He almost came clean and said, 'Yes, now we are cutting,' but he did not quite. But the reality is the government's promises to every South Australian before the last election were very simple and very clear: 'Liberals will match Labor's school funding dollar for dollar.' That was abundantly clear in all of the electoral material that was distributed in South Australia. As I said in question time today, I will seek leave to table the document which underpins the veracity of that line of questioning. I seek leave to table this document.