Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Here we are—another question time; another take note of answers—and we've seen, yet again, that those opposite have nothing to offer the Australian people. All we see is more fear, more smear and more negativity. These people are meant to be the alternative government of Australia. Where's the vision? Where's the inspiration? This is all about one letter from a political opponent in the other place—the member for Isaacs; the shadow Attorney-General, no less—to the New South Wales police to start a politically motivated investigation. The Prime Minister has made the government's position clear on this. It doesn't matter how many times you ask the same question or how many times we provide an answer that you don't like; our response does not change. This is nothing more than a distraction from those opposite to fool the Australian people into thinking that they're doing something.

On this side we're actually interested in governing. We're interested in delivering to the Australian people. This week, whilst we've been delivering historic trade agreements with Peru, Indonesia and Hong Kong, among many others, including China, Japan and Korea, as well as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, they have a record of inaction. We have a record trade surplus—a $22 billion trade surplus—while their record in government is abysmal. Not just that. We saw the unions threatening, at the Northern Territory party conference, to dump MPs who support our position on trade. They are truly beholden to them.

Then we have the ensuring integrity bill. They should be standing with us, standing with small and family businesses, including the 31,500 SMEs in the building sector. They should be standing with everyday Australian workers, standing with us against the lawlessness, intimidation and bullying in Australian workplaces, but they won't, because it's not in their best interests. Rather, they're standing up for union bosses over the workers they claim to represent—unions over small businesses and family businesses, unions over everyday Australians and the economy, and unions over the law. It's no wonder they're looking for a distraction.

Over there, on that side of the chamber, what you see is a party so bereft of inspiration, vision or any plan for this country that they must tear us down at any opportunity. When they can't get any traction on policy, they start going after people. They're afraid of our record of achievement. After all, we're standing up for everyday Australians out there having a go. We're a threat to them. We're growing the economy. We're delivering economic growth. We've put in place a business and investment environment which is creating jobs and providing opportunities for all Australians. All they have is fear and smear. That's one thing, but it's another to continue to talk down our country and stand in the way of jobs, growth, enabling policies and productivity. It's not in their interests to do otherwise. Over there, they're worrying about annoying the union movement and whether they can support legislation that would support Australian businesses. We'll be over here, undeterred, governing and getting on with the job. They just don't get it. The Australian people won't get caught up in their distractions, their politics of envy or their grievances. The Australian people are just concerned about living their lives—working, raising their families and having access to world-class government services, which they deserve, and that is what we're delivering in the Morrison government.