Leah Blyth (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Stronger Families and Stronger Communities) Share this | Hansard source

This Labor government has a $43 billion agenda. They are focused on building, building, building. We'll go back to that number again because those opposite refuse to say it. They're building, building, building 17 homes for the Australian people. The results speak for themselves. Senator Wong, in question time today, said that net zero is good for the economy. Let that sink in just a little bit. We've already gone over the fact that Australians are doing it tough, that living standards are down, that cost-of-living pressures are up. We've got the minister in this place talking about how what they're doing is good for the economy.

I don't know who those opposite are speaking to, but, when I'm out there in the community, people are telling me that it is tough. They can't afford their electricity bills, which are up 39 per cent—up another 13 per cent, we've just found out just this year. These are everyday Australian people who are struggling. They are choosing now between heating their homes in winter and eating. They are choosing between allowing their kids to play sport and sending them to school with lunch. Forgive me when those opposite sit in here and try and lecture us on how good their economic management is, because I think that everyday Australians out there would disagree with them.

The funny thing is that the government—when they run out of money, when their big-spending, big budgets run out of money—are coming after the Australian taxpayer. They are coming after everyday Australians' dollars. We heard today that they won't rule out a tariff. We're talking about a carbon border adjustment mechanism. They will not rule out a tariff on sectors like building materials, fertiliser, fuel, cement, chemicals, steel and aluminium. These tariffs would make these industries uncompetitive. It would mean closing down these industries and sending them offshore, meaning that Australians will need to import cement, chemicals, and steel and aluminium from other countries that don't have a price on carbon.

This government is bad for manufacturing. It's bad for jobs. Think about those communities that rely on these industries. With Labor's big spending, they're running out of money, and now they're going to come after all of us with tariffs. Let's not forget the $275 that they promised we would all save on our electricity bills. Like all Australians out there, I'm still waiting for a $275 reduction in my electricity bill. All I've got so far is a 40 per cent increase, with another 13 per cent just this year. This government has got to do better. (Time expired)