Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It truly was an honour and a privilege to move that the Senate agree to the address-in-reply to the Governor-General's speech delivered on 30 August of this year. As is often said—and it is perhaps better understood in the parliament than in any other quarter of Australian society—the Australian people do not get elections wrong. The Australian people have seen the work this government has done in their service. They have seen its vision for this country and the work that it has already completed. They have placed their trust in us again, and this trust is well founded. They have given the coalition a mandate to continue its good work.

This Turnbull coalition government has much to do and much to get on with—indeed, that is the business of government. We get on with it, despite the heckling, the obstruction, the sideshow and the smokescreens that those on the other side of the chamber often engage in. So how do we ensure Australia remains a high-wage, first World economy with a generous social welfare safety net? This is the question that this government has asked itself. It has driven our policies and it inspires our work.

The Turnbull coalition government believes in a just society where our prosperity as a nation is shared, and strong economic growth is experienced by all. It is well known that with success and prosperity comes immense responsibility: a responsibility to ensure that our nation's most vulnerable are not left behind. This is part of the Robert Menzies legacy. Robert Menzies once said:

… we believe in free enterprise; not enterprise free of social obligation …

Our actions as a government, our policies and our initiatives are not just about the present. Yes, we have been elected to government in the present, but we can never forget about the future. Our actions here will be remembered by—and will, indeed, impact—future generations of Australians. We need to recognise this and never forget it, for the sake of our children and our grandchildren. The Turnbull coalition government are a government that are deeply committed to fiscal discipline. Fiscal discipline is indeed part of the coalition's DNA. We are committed to this through the importance we place on strong, stable economic leadership. Through fiscal discipline and restrained spending, the Australian economy will prosper. To this end, we are committed to strengthening the solid economic growth that has occurred in Australia—indeed, 25 years of consecutive economic growth.

This is a government that will reduce the growth of government spending and will make sure that taxpayers pay their fair share of tax. It will crack down on tax avoidance by large corporations, and it has already substantially increased the penalties for engaging in this sort of behaviour. Despite Labor opposing the legislation, this government introduced the Multinational Anti-Avoidance Law with effect from 1 January this year, to stop multinationals artificially avoiding a taxable presence in Australia. The legislation forces offending companies to pay back double what they owe, plus interest. The government has also introduced country-by-country reporting to give the ATO greater access to multinationals' transfer pricing information as well as establishing a new tax avoidance taskforce which will raise $3.7 billion over the forward estimates.

This coalition government is also helping small business by reducing the company tax rates for businesses turning over less than $10 million per year, easing the burden on them and allowing them to thrive. This government is also deeply committed to better targeting tax concessions for workers. Small business employs millions of people in this country, and this government fully recognises, understands and appreciates their contribution to our economy.

This is a government that is making the largest investment in the Navy since World War II—$195 billion in our defence capability. This investment will generate jobs and growth, and cement our nation's position as a sound and reputable producer of defence materiel.

The Turnbull coalition government are constantly working to keep all Australians safe from the threat of terrorism—from those who would threaten the free and democratic way of life that we all enjoy in this country. Our counterterrorism framework must be effective and it must be robust, and this government aptly recognise this fact. In an age where technology is part of everyday life—indeed, our everyday lives are almost entirely dependent on some form of technology—the Turnbull coalition government are driving the Cyber Security Strategy.

This government has already made substantial achievements in the trade portfolio, and I acknowledge the good work in this space of Andrew Robb, a Victorian of great note. We have secured landmark free trade agreements with China, Korea and Japan, as well as concluding the Trans Pacific Partnership. These agreements have opened up export markets to Australian businesses like never before, allowing for an ease of access and an ability to do business that few nations in the world enjoy today. But our work in this area does not end here. Rather, we will work to boost our exports and also to attract new investment to Australia. This government will pursue further free trade agreements, because we understand the immeasurable benefits that they bring to our nation, and we will also strive for greater regional economic integration.

The Turnbull coalition government has a well-renowned commitment to infrastructure. Our record in this space speaks for itself: we have invested in major road, rail and airport projects across the country, and we will continue to do so. Infrastructure is the greatest driver of productivity. It makes people's lives much easier in so many ways. I just wish that the Victorian Labor government understood this fact. Perhaps, if they did, they would have worked with this government to deliver the East West Link instead of wasting over $1 billion of taxpayers' dollars on not building it. This is a travesty. Infrastructure Australia, an independent body, has urged the Victorian government to build the East West Link as a high priority. It is a travesty that ideological pigheadedness has seen productivity priorities subsumed.

The Turnbull coalition government is committed to making our cities more liveable. We are coordinating investment in our cities    and towns at all levels of levels of government—state and local—through our Smart Cities Plan and City Deals. Better outcomes and less waste will be the result—the two elements that should be the cornerstone of any government.

The Turnbull coalition government understands and respects rural and regional Australia. We have a plan to boost regional jobs through our $200 million Regional Jobs and Investment Package, which will help our regions to flourish. We have fixed thousands of mobile phone black spots and we will not stop there—we have many more to fix, but we have made a very good start. Labor did not invest one single dollar in fixing mobile phone black spots during their time in office. What does that say about Labor's commitment to rural and regional Australia?

The Turnbull coalition government is supporting our farming industries. Agriculture contributes so much to this economy. We are working through the implementation of our landmark Agricultural competitiveness white paper,and we are investing in water security in the Murray-Darling Basin.

Under a Turnbull coalition government, we will meet our 2020 emission reduction targets. We are promoting a more efficient energy market and continuing our investment in the National Landcare Program and the new solar communities program. This government has realistic targets, and Australians will not be slugged with a costly and ill-considered carbon tax by this government.

This is a government that is prioritising education, science and innovation. We are investing in the National Innovation and Science Agenda to create the high-tech jobs of the future. To skill Australians for these jobs of the future, we are providing record levels of funding for Australian schools. I will repeat that: we are providing record levels of funding for Australian schools. We will raise student standards and we will reward excellent teachers—those who excel in their chosen fields. This government are expanding P-TECH pilot schools to help students get the skills they need to enter the workforce. We are restoring confidence in the quality and integrity of vocational

education—confidence that seemed to evaporate and vanish under those opposite.

Our Youth Jobs PaTH program will create jobs for up to 120,000 young Australians, and this government's investment in innovation will also create jobs—think of that; 120,000 jobs for young Australians. This would allow young Australians to enter the workforce and earn a living, and do the things they want to with dignity.

The Turnbull coalition government's commitment to health care is well-known. It is a commitment that no misleading scare campaign could ever fault. The government is strengthening Medicare and is establishing Health Care Home trials to support those Australians living with chronic diseases, an initiative that will better manage their care and keep them out of hospital, where they want to be. The government is working with the states and territories on funding for public hospitals and has delivered record levels of investment in the public hospital system. It is investing more to improve access to mental health services, with a particular focus on suicide prevention. Mental health care will be tailored to the needs of the patient rather than a one-size-fits all-approach. The government is working with communities and the health sector to provide more flexibility in home based aged care, so that people can stay in their homes for longer.

The Turnbull coalition government will roll out the fully-funded NDIS scheme by 2019-20, a scheme that focuses on transforming the lives of around 460,000 Australians who are living each day with disability. The government has addressed domestic violence and is protecting women and children in danger. It is continuing its important work to close the gap in health, education and employment between the first Australians and the rest of the population by working with Indigenous communities.

The Turnbull coalition government will allow all Australians to have their say on same sex marriage via plebiscite as soon as possible. Those opposite should not obstruct this as the government has a mandate to continue on this course. The Turnbull coalition government is a government with a vision. It has the best interests of the Australian people at heart, and at the forefront of everything it does. It was elected to govern for all Australians and that is exactly what it will do despite the obstruction and the unhelpfulness of some.

The legacy of the Turnbull coalition government will be higher growth, more jobs, less debt, reduced deficit, and a more prosperous and productive Australia for this generation and for the next.