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Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Page: 2946

Senator BILYK (Tasmania) (15:07): In taking note of answers given to questions without notice today, what those on the other side obviously fail to understand is that this is a budget for working Australians. It is not a budget just for a few select people out in the community, which is what those on the other side want and are always pushing. This budget is about spreading the benefits of the boom so that all corners of the country benefit from it, not just one single state or one single area. It is going to bring much-needed new financial relief to families and businesses that have been under pressure. There are a number of ways we are going to do that and I will talk about them in a minute.

We are returning to surplus on time and as promised, and those on the other side just cannot deal with that. They just do not want to deal with it. They have got a huge mental block when it comes to accepting that we are actually managing to do that and will achieve it. What that does is put paid to their last few years of argument that we could not do it, so they have to stand up and oppose it. I notice that Senator Bushby is still in the chamber. I would like to know what Senator Bushby thinks he is going to say to all those families that he wants to deny the Schoolkids Bonus to. I would like to know what Senator Abetz is going to say to all those Tasmanian families. In fact, Mr Deputy President, I would like to know what you are going to say to all those families that your government is denying cash to—that is, the $410 for each child in primary school or $820 for each child in high school under the Schoolkids Bonus.

I do not know whether opposition senators are aware that there are 34,800 families in Tasmania that expect to receive some of that income, and 30,600 families in Tasmania are currently missing out on the education tax refund, which the Schoolkids Bonus is replacing. It is replacing it for a reason. It is because people were not claiming what they were entitled to. Families are struggling. We know families are struggling. We want to help those families. The best way we can help those families is through the education process and making it easier for them so they do not have to save their receipts, so they do not have to put in paperwork and so they can get the money upfront. I challenge the opposition senators from Tasmania, in particular, to stand up in front of those families and go to those schools and tell them that they are going to deny those families and those children the cash that they could use to help with their education, whether it be music lessons, excursions or whatever.

I was bitterly disappointed to hear the other night an implication that parents would waste the money, that they would not spend it on their children's education. But I am absolutely certain that when the baby bonus came in and members of the opposition were asked about people receiving it their argument was that they did not really care what people spent the money on; they just wanted people to have the money. So I do not understand the hypocrisy, meanness of spirit and the distrust of families and of the parents of these children by the opposition, claiming that they will spend the money on other things and that it will not be spent on education.

One of the benefits of the surplus is obviously that it will protect low- and middle-income Australians and those in the community most vulnerable. It will do that through things like the aged-care reform, the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the blitz that we are going to have on the dental waiting lists as well. We will achieve a surplus, despite the global uncertainty. We will deliver a surplus in a targeted and responsible way, with targeted and respon­sible savings that help, as I said, those low- and middle-income Australians.

Since the budget the Liberals have once again revealed their true colours. They continue to work against working families in Australia. To those senators from Tasmania on the other side who continue to work against those working families in Tasmania I say: you really need to hang your heads in shame. I am nearly speechless trying to think of the words to use when those people in Tasmania who you and I represent— (Time expired)