STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr CHESTER (Gippsland—Deputy Leader of the National Party) (13:58): The Prime Minister said, 'My word is my bond.' Under parliamentary rules, he can't be accused of lying, so let me put it this way: we have a dishonest government. We have a prime minister who told the Australian people 97 times before the 2022 election that power bills would be reduced by $275.

It simply wasn't true. Australians are paying 40 per cent more for their energy under this government. Then, in the lead-up to the 2025 election, not one of those people opposite had the guts to tell the Australian people about their plans for capital gains tax and negative gearing.

In his own words, the Prime Minister said, he ruled it out not once, not twice but 50 times. Those Labor MPs opposite all knew the truth, but they knew the Australian people wouldn't vote for them if they actually told them what they planned to do. So they didn't lie.

They were mendacious. They obfuscated. They were loose with the truth.

They fudged the facts. Every one of them was just a little bit two-faced. Maybe they gilded the lily a little bit as well.

They all told little white Albos. They all told little white Albos to avoid telling the truth and delivered a budget filled with broken promises. Australians deserve better than this.

Australians deserve better than this dishonest government and a prime minister who is allergic to telling the truth.