QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE: TAKE NOTE OF ANSWERS
Senator WHITEAKER (Western Australia) (15:13): If there's one word I would use to describe that question time, I think it's 'distraction'; it was a pretty poor attempt at distraction by those opposite. We've made it really clear that we're undertaking really important consultation on our tax changes and that there will be more legislation to come. But the real question is: why are the Liberals and Nationals—the coalition—so focused on these distractions?
Well, you don't have to look too far to see. You don't have to look too far to see what it is that they don't want Australians to know. They don't want Australians to know that two of the biggest taxing governments in the last 30 years were coalition governments, and at the very top of that list was John Howard's government.
They don't want Australians to know that they voted against our tax cuts, that they voted against our housing tax reform to get more Australians into their first home. They don't want Australians to remember that Senator Hume called our tax cuts 'egregious' not once but twice in the space of just a couple of minutes. They've been clear all along that they've opposed our attempts to get more young Australians into their first home.
They've made it clear that the coalition are here for wealthy investors, while Labor, our government, is here to work for the Australians who work to earn a living. We're here for young Australians, who want to get their foot in the door, who want to buy their first home. We believe it should be easier for Australians to buy their first home than it is for people to buy their fifth or their sixth or their 10th.
That is what sets us apart from those opposite. On women—well, there's nothing that makes my eyes roll further back in my head than hearing those opposite talk about women. They pretend that they're here in this place to stand up for the women of Australia.
Give— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Whiteaker, please resume your seat. Senator Collins.
Senator Collins: Sorry; I was very specific about the questions that we are taking note of. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Collins, there is no point of order. These are wideranging debates.
As long as there is some reference to the topic under consideration—and Senator Whiteaker has been talking about taxation policy—as long as she refers back to those issues, she is certainly within order. Senator Whiteaker, you have the call. But I would remind you of the three questions that Senator Collins is taking note of.
Senator WHITEAKER: Thank you. Here is yet another attempt at distraction, because it's clear they don't want Australians to know the truth about their record. On women, Senator Cash and the Liberals have voted almost always against closing the gender pay gap, voted consistently against paid parental leave, voted consistently against increasing workplace protections for women, voted consistently against federal government support for child care.
Of course, no-one has forgotten that they just recently toppled their first female leader, and I think we can all see how well that has gone for them in the months that have followed. If the Liberals are so concerned about the women of Australia, then I ask them to come in here and prove it, because I have seen no proof in my time in this place that the coalition have any commitment to standing up for the women of Australia.
They have shown time and time again that they aren't— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Whiteaker, please resume your seat. Senator Collins. Senator Collins: Can I just get a clarification on that, please?
Women have absolutely nothing to do with tax or the economy. Senator Whiteaker: What about widows tax? Senator Collins: Then talk about widows tax.
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Wong, Senator Collins is still on her feet. Senator Collins, have you finished your point of order?
Senator Collins: I have. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Wong. Senator Wong: These points of order are without basis and should not be continued in the way that they are.
The senator is simply interrupting this senator because she doesn't like what she is saying. That's not actually what points of order are for. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Wong, you know very well that anyone has the right—a senator has the right—to make a point of order.
The point of order is not completely out of order. The fact is that we do have to stay within the bounds of the questions that are being taken note of, even though we do allow a fairly wideranging debate. However, I will bring Senator Whiteaker back to the topic of the three questions currently under consideration.
Senator Whiteaker has the call. Senator WHITEAKER: This couldn't have gone better if I had set it up myself! While those opposite have spent this question time hearing answers from our ministers on widow tax and on our tax reform, Australians should be really clear about their record on tax cuts, on their record on women.
While those opposite have spent this question time hearing answers from our ministers on widows tax and on our tax reform, Australians should be really clear about their record on tax cuts and their record on women. That is something that we will continue to point out, because their attempts to distract from that truth are pretty dismal. (Time expired)