Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I was going to make a contribution tonight about the chaos of those opposite and the new relationship—well, it is a continual relationship, really—between the Greens, the crossbench, the Nationals and the Liberals. I'm not sure how many Liberals and Nationals are still on the same team. I was going to talk about the chaos and the undermining that's going on with their leader. I think that was so evident today in question time, but in fact it started yesterday. I missed that yesterday. I thought: 'Why would they do that? Why would they want to prevent government senators from being able to ask questions about issues that impact their communities? After all, we take very seriously our roles as senators in representing our states.

We know this weekend the result of the largest investment in Medicare is going to be rolled out. There are changes to ensure greater access to GPs and bulk-billing. We also know that this government, the Labor government, has actually invested more money in women's health than any previous government. These are things that we need to talk about, and we need to ensure that Australians—particularly in my home state of Tasmania—know about them. We know that the largest investment in aged care is being rolled out this weekend as well to ensure older Australians get the support they need to stay living at home for as long as possible.

We know that when people on that side were in government they did nothing in terms of investing in women's health—nothing. We know that in the 10 years they were in government they had five failed ministers for aged care. Not one of them actually had an interest. They did nothing except undermine and run aged care down in this country. We also note that it is in their DNA. They don't care about Medicare. They don't care whether people can see a doctor when they need to. They did nothing.

We have introduced this under probably one of the best ever health ministers, Minister Mark Butler, who not only has overseen greater investment in aged care and the foundations of building a better future for older Australians but has done exactly the same thing with the government to ensure that there is greater investment in women's health. These are good things. We know he is a great protector, just as everyone on this side of the Senate and in the other place is. We will fight every day for Medicare and investment in it because that gives us universal health care. It gives Australians an opportunity to see a GP when they need one.

We've also introduced urgent care clinics. What an amazing success they have proven to be. The urgent care clinic in Launceston is one of if not the very best in the country, with the number of doctors that work there, the continuity of service and the number of people that are using it, keeping out of accident and emergency.

This is another demonstration. It's not just when their shadow ministers, such as Mr Hastie, resign to put pressure on the Leader of the Opposition; it is also the fact that they've split on a bill. They will not accept the science of climate change. They will not accept that there needs to be a reduction in emissions. This opposition is the worst opposition ever, and do you know why? Because they cannot come to terms with the Australian people's rejection of them at the last election. Why did the Australian people do that? Because those opposite had no policies. They had 22 energy policies while they were in government, and they delivered not one, yet they come in and lecture us about being the gurus of financial management and the economy. How many surpluses did you deliver in those 10 years? None—zero. How many have we delivered since we've been in government? It's a very stark difference.

So don't come in here trying to lecture us about transparency when you have now entered into your 'no-alition' with the Greens—when it suits you. You're in bed with the Greens and the crossbench, and, on a good day, when the Nationals are together as one National Party and when you're together as one Liberal Party, you actually get together. The Australian people see you for what you are, and that is that you were a failure in government and you're a failed opposition.