Debate resumed from 18 March, on motion by Mr Slipper:

upon which Mr McMullan moved by way of amendment:

That all words after “That” be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

“whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House condemns the Government for its failures in economic management, and in particular its failings in relation to both income and expenditure policies because:

(1) it is the highest taxing Government in Australian history, and:

(a) has imposed the highest level ever of income tax;

(b) is responsible for introducing the biggest new tax in our history; and

(c) is addicted to imposing ever more taxes and special levies;

(2) it has failed to deliver on its basic responsibilities to the Australian people, for example:

(a) bulk billing has collapsed;

(b) there is chronic under-investment in our public schools, TAFE colleges and universities;

(c) the struggle to balance work and family life continues to get harder; and

(d) entry level housing is becoming even less affordable for struggling Australian families; and

(3) despite the record tax take, and in spite of declining Government services, the Government has failed to keep the Budget in surplus after nearly a decade of strong economic growth, in that:

(a) it broke its unequivocal promise to keep the Budget in surplus in 2001-02;

(b) future surpluses are dependent on the additional revenue provided by bracket creep;

(c) it has presided over enormous waste and mismanagement including billions of dollars of foreign exchange losses and defence procurement losses; and

(d) it has lost control over expenditure necessitating wholesale changes to the budgetary management system”.