QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE: TAKE NOTE OF ANSWERS

Senator BLYTH (South Australia) (16:05): What an extraordinary contribution we've had from Labor senators during this take note session. Let's talk about the difference that Labor has made to Australia in what feels like very, very long years, particularly if you're a young person, if you own a small business or if you're a family just trying to make ends meet.

We've seen productivity stall. For the first time, we are seeing living standards go backwards in this country. That's not something that, if I were in government, I would be proud of.

We are seeing inflation running out of control. We're seeing interest rates continually climbing, and there seems to be no end in sight. Australians were promised $275 back on their electricity bills, and we're still yet to see that delivered—another broken Labor promise, another Labor lie.

Labor seems to be quite obsessed with partnerships that exist within this chamber and within the parliament. The partnership that exists here is between Labor and the Greens. Labor and the Greens have got together and rammed through what is probably one of the most disastrous budgets that Australia has ever seen.

They've partnered up, they've got together, and they've basically stuck their middle finger up to everyday Australians who are working hard out there. It's important to remember that the government does not produce any revenue. There is no revenue that the government produces.

The revenue it collects is from hardworking Australians. Every dollar the government takes in tax, an Australian has to earn first. Think about that.

This government is going to grab $77 billion more from hardworking Australians—and they cheered when that legislation just passed. They cheered for the $77 billion more that they are going to take from hardworking Australians. That's not something that deserves to be cheered.

That is such a shame. It is a shame for our economy. It is a shame for the state of our national debt, which is hurtling towards $1.25 trillion.

Twenty years ago, Australia had zero debt. We had zero debt as a nation. We were in a strong economic position where we could withstand global shocks.

We could withstand things like the global financial crisis. The situation that we're in today under Labor and the budget that they have just passed—that they have just celebrated passing with the Greens—means that Australia is not in a strong position for global shocks. It means that, when things like the Strait of Hormuz are closed, it has devastating impacts here, a long way away from where that conflict is.

We are in no position to be able to withstand and continue to prosper as a nation, and that makes me incredibly sad. I've got young adult children who just want to get out there and buy their first home, and this government has just passed a budget that is going to deliver 35,000 fewer homes, and they've done that with the Greens. They're going to deliver 35,000 fewer homes, on their own targets, yet they want to sit here and lecture us and say they're doing everything they can for young Australians.

This is a terrible budget. It is a war on young people; it is a war on older people, who have done the right thing and saved and put their money into super; and it is a war on anyone who owns a small business and anyone who wants to start a business here in this country. (Time expired) Question agreed to.