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Hansard
- Start of Business
- MINISTER FOR DEFENCE: HANSARD REPORT
- QUESTIONS TO MR SPEAKER
- PARLIAMENT HOUSE: THE LANDING AT GALLIPOLI
- COMMITTEES
- FINANCIAL SECTOR (COLLECTION OF DATA) BILL 2001
- FINANCIAL SECTOR (COLLECTION OF DATA—CONSEQUENTIAL AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS) BILL 2001
- FINANCIAL SERVICES REFORM BILL 2001
- TREASURY LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (APPLICATION OF CRIMINAL CODE) BILL (NO. 2) 2001
- MIGRATION LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (APPLICATION OF CRIMINAL CODE) BILL 2001
- MIGRATION LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS AND METHODS OF NOTIFICATION) BILL 2001
- MIGRATION LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (IMMIGRATION DETAINEES) BILL 2001
- INNOVATION AND EDUCATION LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL 2001
- HEALTH LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL (NO. 2) 2001
- BROADCASTING LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL (NO. 2) 2001
- AVIATION LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL (NO. 2) 2001
- ELECTORAL AND REFERENDUM AMENDMENT BILL (NO. 1) 2001
- CHILD SUPPORT LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL (NO. 2) 2000
- SAFETY, REHABILITATION AND COMPENSATION AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL 2000
- EXCISE TARIFF AMENDMENT BILL (NO. 1) 2001
- CUSTOMS TARIFF AMENDMENT BILL (NO. 2) 2001
- SAFETY, REHABILITATION AND COMPENSATION AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL 2000
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QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
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Health: AIDS Vaccine Consortium
(Macklin, Jenny, MP, Wooldridge, Dr Michael, MP) -
Economy: Policy
(Billson, Bruce, MP, Howard, John, MP) -
Health: AIDS Vaccine Consortium
(Macklin, Jenny, MP, Wooldridge, Dr Michael, MP) -
Interest Rates: Levels
(St Clair, Stuart, MP, Costello, Peter, MP) -
Health: AIDS Vaccine Consortium
(Macklin, Jenny, MP, Wooldridge, Dr Michael, MP) -
Workplace Relations: Secondary Boycott Provisions
(Secker, Patrick, MP, Hockey, Joe, MP) -
Health: AIDS Vaccine Consortium
(Thomson, Kelvin, MP, Hockey, Joe, MP) -
Workplace Relations: Democratic Accountability
(McArthur, Stewart, MP, Abbott, Tony, MP)
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Health: AIDS Vaccine Consortium
- DISTINGUISHED VISITORS
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QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
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Health: AIDS Vaccine Consortium
(Macklin, Jenny, MP, Wooldridge, Dr Michael, MP) -
Workplace Relations: Small Business
(Neville, Paul, MP, Abbott, Tony, MP) -
Bill of Rights Legislation
(Theophanous, Dr Andrew, MP, Howard, John, MP) -
Small Business: Unfair Dismissal Laws
(Lloyd, Jim, MP, Macfarlane, Ian, MP) -
HIH Insurance
(Crean, Simon, MP, Hockey, Joe, MP) -
Transport and Regional Services Portfolio: Achievements
(Hawker, David, MP, Anderson, John, MP) -
Nursing Homes: Beds
(Beazley, Kim, MP, Bishop, Bronwyn, MP) -
Private Health Insurance: Rebate
(Thompson, Cameron, MP, Wooldridge, Dr Michael, MP) -
Family Payment: Increase
(Swan, Wayne, MP, Howard, John, MP) -
United Nations: Human Rights Committee System
(Nugent, Peter, MP, Downer, Alexander, MP) -
Health: AIDS Vaccine Consortium
(Beazley, Kim, MP, Wooldridge, Dr Michael, MP) -
Roads: Bruce Highway
(Gambaro, Teresa, MP, Anderson, John, MP)
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Health: AIDS Vaccine Consortium
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QUESTIONS TO MR SPEAKER
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Minister for Forestry and Conservation: Interjection
(McLeay, Leo, MP, SPEAKER, Mr) - Centenary of Federation: Sittings in Melbourne
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Centenary of Federation: Sittings in Melbourne
(Danby, Michael, MP, SPEAKER, Mr) -
Yirrkala Bark Petitions
(Snowdon, Warren, MP, SPEAKER, Mr) -
Parliament House: The Landing at Gallipoli
(Edwards, Graham, MP, SPEAKER, Mr) -
Centenary of Federation: Sittings in Melbourne
(Price, Roger, MP, SPEAKER, Mr) -
Health: Deep Vein Thrombosis
(O'Keefe, Neil, MP, SPEAKER, Mr)
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Minister for Forestry and Conservation: Interjection
- PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS
- DAYS AND HOURS OF MEETING
- PAPERS
- MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE
- COMMITTEES
- BILLS RETURNED FROM THE SENATE
- TAXATION LAWS AMENDMENT BILL (NO. 3) 2001
- SAFETY, REHABILITATION AND COMPENSATION AND OTHER LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL 2000
- ADJOURNMENT
- Adjournment
- NOTICES
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Main Committee
- Start of Business
- STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS
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ADJOURNMENT
- Smash Repair Industry
- Cook Electorate: Commonwealth Awards for Senior Citizens
- Second Sydney Airport: Badgerys Creek
- Australian Labor Party: Industrial Relations Policy
- Goods and Services Tax: Building Industry
- National Roads and Motorists Association: Smash Repair Industry
- Tasmania: Regional Medical Services
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QUESTIONS ON NOTICE
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Canberra Electorate: Nursing Home Spot Checks
(Ellis, Annette, MP, Bishop, Bronwyn, MP) -
Family Court: Counselling Services
(Livermore, Kirsten, MP, Williams, Daryl, MP) -
Aged Care Facilities: 75 Thames Street Hostel
(Burke, Anna, MP, Bishop, Bronwyn, MP) -
Nursing Homes: Budget
(Theophanous, Dr Andrew, MP, Bishop, Bronwyn, MP) -
Aged Care Facilities: Allandale
(Fitzgibbon, Joel, MP, Bishop, Bronwyn, MP) -
Aged Care Facilities: Fees
(O'Keefe, Neil, MP, Bishop, Bronwyn, MP) -
Education: Loans Scheme
(Latham, Mark, MP, Kemp, Dr David, MP) -
Regional Forest Agreements: Reports
(Ferguson, Laurie, MP, Tuckey, Wilson, MP) -
Veterans' Affairs Portfolio: Procurement Policies
(Sidebottom, Sid, MP, Scott, Bruce, MP) -
New South Wales Timber Industry: Funding
(Horne, Bob, MP, Tuckey, Wilson, MP)
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Canberra Electorate: Nursing Home Spot Checks
Page: 26592
Mr SWAN (3:00 PM)
—My question is directed to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, are you aware that your Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Vanstone, yesterday effectively confirmed that the government's family payment increase last July consisted mainly of an indexation that was due in any case, irrespective of the introduction of the GST? Prime Minister, didn't you falsely sell this as GST compensation? Didn't you state on Monday, `I was wrong about the compensation', and proceed to quote an amount of $55 per week increase in family payments to back your claim? Prime Minister, hasn't Minister Vanstone exposed your swindle on the families of Australia which pretends that family payment increases due anyway are GST compensation?
Mr SPEAKER
—Before I recognise the Prime Minister, I believe that a better word than the word chosen by the member for Lilley could have been used. I ask him to find a better word.
Mr SWAN
—Prime Minister, hasn't Minister Vanstone exposed your short-changing of the families of Australia with indexation which you pretend is GST compensation?
Mr HOWARD (Prime Minister)
—No. The minister has done no such thing because, far from short-changing the families of Australia, this government with its policy has significantly boosted the real incomes of Australian families. I just happen to have a headline here, `Everything's right at the Wright house'. It is an article in today's Australian, and it is not a bad read.
Government member—Sydney Morning Herald?
Mr HOWARD
—No, today's Australian. It is quite a good read. It is very good news for the member for Parramatta because the family in question lives in the suburb of Westmead. I think it is probably the quality of the representation that has made this family. Listen to this—
Honourable members interjecting—
Mr HOWARD
—It really goes to the heart of how Australian families are feeling and faring at the present time. It says:
Economists may be nervously preoccupied with the battered dollar ... and the shrinking budget surplus but for the Wright family, life is sweet.
Part of the aspirational middle class, the couple from the western Sydney suburb of Westmead remain unconcerned about the prospects of an economic slowdown.
And why wouldn't they? Interest rates are down again. Tax reform has delivered more dollars into their pockets, and in the absence of any plans for an overseas holiday this year, the low dollar seems an irrelevance.
The article goes on to describe how this aspirational middle class family has greatly benefited from, and been greatly helped by, the tax reform policy of the government that I am proud to lead. The tax reform changes that were brought in last year represented real increases in the disposable incomes of Australian families. The minister has made no such admission. The minister strongly supports the policy because she knows that it is good for the Australian family.