STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr REBELLO (McPherson) (13:42): Australians expect judgement, dignity and character from their prime minister; instead, they get crude banter, excuses and denial. The Prime Minister continues to diminish the office he holds. But, even worse, his government is diminishing the living standards of Australians he's supposed to serve.

Under Labor, Australians have suffered the biggest fall in living standards in the developed world. Productivity is in freefall. On the Reserve Bank's own numbers, it will take eight years just to get back to where we were before Labor came to office.

And, because Labor can't manage money, they're coming after yours—more spending, more debt, more red tape and toxic new taxes on housing, savings, investment and small business. Labor is not rewarding aspiration; it is punishing it. The contrast could not be clearer.

The coalition has a plan to fix the economy and protect our way of life. We'll axe Labor's toxic taxes and deliver our tax-back guarantee to address bracket creep so Australians can keep more of what they earn. We'll deliver cheaper and more reliable power, get migration and housing into balance, cut the red tape holding back builders and businesses and establish the Future Generations Fund to pay down Labor's trillion-dollar debt and get more return on our resources.

Government should enable Australians to get ahead, not stand in their way. Labor offers higher taxes and managed decline; the coalition offers lower taxes, greater opportunity and a confident path back to prosperity.