MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE – THE FAILURE OF THE GOVERNMENT TO CONFRONT AUSTRALIA’S IMMEDIATE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES
September 21, 2011
Mr CHESTER (Gippsland) (16:54): In briefly joining the debate on this matter of public importance, I endorse the comments of the member for Higgins. I particularly endorse her reference to the fact that this Treasurer has presided over four budget deficits. We continue to hear this promise, this plan, this ‘give it my best shot’ to return to surplus in 2012-13. Like the rest of Australia, I simply do not believe this Treasurer will be able to deliver a surplus.
Mr Husic: You should have faith!
Mr CHESTER: The member opposite says I should have faith. People in Australia who are struggling with their costs of living are not interested in comments like ‘You need to have faith.’ They simply have lost faith in this Treasurer. I do not believe he has the capacity to ever deliver a surplus. I am prepared to put my money where my mouth is. I am prepared to bet the Treasurer that he will not deliver a surplus at that time. I am not much of a gambler but I am prepared to take a wager.
If the Treasurer will take me up on my bet I am prepared to donate $1,000 to his favourite charity if he delivers a surplus in 2012-13—only if he is prepared to deliver $1,000 to my favourite charity if he does not get that surplus. I am happy to do that. That is the wager I put to the Treasurer, and I welcome him to take me up on that. The surf-lifesaving clubs in my community would love to receive $1,000, and I reckon it is a pretty safe bet. So I would encourage the Treasurer to take me on. If you cannot deliver a surplus in 2012-13 as promised, how about $1,000 to the surf-lifesaving clubs in my electorate and, if you can do it, I will give $1,000 to your favourite charity?
It is interesting that in these extraordinarily uncertain economic times the greatest idea, the great mark of genius from those opposite, is to hit the Australian economy with a carbon tax. We had the member for Hunter, who used to represent the workers of his electorate, and we had other regional MPs in this place talking about the carbon tax. We had the member for Hunter refer to the unemployment rate. If the member for Hunter and other regional MPs really want to see what will happen to the unemployment rate in Australia they should vote with this government on its carbon tax. Vote to hit the Australian economy with a carbon tax at an extraordinary period in global economic circumstances.
Only the Labor Party could come in here and lecture this side of the parliament about its economic credentials when it is about to vote to hit the Australian economy with a carbon tax. It will have a massive impact on the manufacturing sector, on the agricultural sector and on the power-generating sector. We keep hearing from those opposite that there are only 500 of the so-called big polluters who will pay this carbon tax. When will a single member of the Labor Party start showing some respect for those 500 big Australian companies that create enormous wealth and employment in our community and when will they desist from calling these companies Australia’s 500 biggest polluters?
Every time a member opposite uses that phrase they are vilifying and offending the people who work in those companies. I know that from personal experience. In my electorate of Gippsland we have workers involved with the brown coal-fired power stations and with Australian Paper. I meet with the workers and I talk to them—members of the CFMEU, members of the ETU. They are so angry when they hear the Labor Party calling the companies they work for ‘big polluters’ because, by association, you are vilifying these honest hard-working people who are doing nothing more than going out and doing an honest day’s work.
This party used to claim it represented workers. This party used to claim it was the champion of working families—we do not hear about working families any more. This party is out there vilifying them, saying they work for big polluters. Here is a bit of free advice to members opposite. If you are wondering why you are down to 26 per cent of your primary vote, at least some of it starts with the way you are treating these people with complete contempt. The way you are vilifying them, the way you are describing them as working for big polluters, is at least part of your problem. I challenge you to show them some respect.
I repeat my offer to the Treasurer. He is obviously not that keen on the bet, but I think he should give it some serious consideration. Treasurer, if you can deliver a surplus in 2012-13 my offer is to give $1,000 to your favourite charity. If you cannot deliver that surplus I encourage you to take me up on that wager by giving $1,000 to surf-lifesaving clubs in my electorate.
(Time expired)