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Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Page: 4311

Ms MACKLIN (Jagajaga—Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Minister for Disability Reform) (14:24): I thank the member for Petrie for her supplementary question and for her advocacy for families in Brisbane's north. As I indicated, there are thousands of families in her electorate, and of course many more across Brisbane, who will benefit from the schoolkids bonus. In fact, we heard on ABC Radio this morning a Brisbane family in the electorate of Dickson who spoke about the benefits of the schoolkids bonus. Jude and her husband, Bruce, have four children, aged four to 11, and they make it very plain that they think this new schoolkids bonus is a great thing. They are going to be getting a significant bonus from this Labor government. Has the member for Dickson had the guts to ring Jude and Bruce and tell them that he is going to be opposing a schoolkids bonus? He is going to try and stop Jude and Bruce getting this extra money.

The member for Dickson, like everybody over there, thinks he knows better than the parents of Australia how to bring up their children. While this Labor government wants to make sure that we give Jude and Bruce—and the families in Wagga and all the other people around Australia—the funding that they need, all you can do is say no.

Mr McCormack: The people in Wagga are really looking forward to paying the carbon tax because of you.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms AE Burke ): The member for Riverina will leave the chamber under 94(a).

The member for Riverina then left the chamber.