STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr HOLZBERGER (Forde) (13:49): I appreciate the opportunity here to answer a question I was asked by the member for Bowman when I was in here earlier, during the Treasury laws amendment bill debate. He asked me, 'Will the member for Forde be out there selling the budget?' I can tell you and those opposite you bet I will, absolutely. The clearer it becomes—I can't believe that they're making the same mistake again in opposing a tax cut.

They're not only opposing a tax cut this time but also promising to take to the next election a policy of bringing in tax breaks for property investors. They've managed to somehow jump the shark and go even further. As people realise that the changes to capital gains tax and the changes to negative gearing are about levelling the playing field for first home buyers and restoring a bit of equity in the Australian community, they're going to be out there supporting a tax break for property investors.

I can't wait for that debate! The other thing that this debate has revealed is that we on this side are not going to cop the status quo anymore. We have tried as hard as we can to fix things, and it just hasn't worked enough.

So we are going to throw everything at it to fix this problem. We go to the next election challenging the status quo. They go to the next election supporting the status quo.

I know, looking at the electoral environment today, which side of that I would rather be on.