Matter of Public Importance – Economy

The Minister for Small Business interjected when the member for Goldstein was delivering his speech on his MPI. I’d like Australians to know that what she said was that small businesses are dodgy. I say the Minister for Small Business is dodgy, I say the Treasurer is dodgy and I say the Prime Minister is dodgy.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Ms Claydon): Member for Moncrieff, I ask you to withdraw that comment.

Ms BELL: I didn’t think it was an unparliamentary word.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: It’s not open for debate. Please withdraw that comment.

Ms BELL: I withdraw. This week we saw interest rates rise again, and we saw the Treasurer’s 13th interest rate rise since he became the Treasurer. Not happy, Jim! We saw the Prime Minister’s 13th interest rate rise since he became the Prime Minister. Labor has been responsible for the economy for four years and has been responsible for 13 interest rate rises—and Australians are buckling under the stress.

Australians should be very unhappy with the Prime Minister and with the Treasurer’s very poor performance. Families were already hurting, and with the Treasurer’s 13th rate rise, they are going to be hurting even more. And, as the shadow minister for youth, this pain then rolls down to the young, who feel the pinch too, because retailers and small businesses can’t afford to employ them, and there have been 41,000 insolvencies since Labor came to power that can no longer employ young people on their books. As the shadow minister for youth, I often talk with young people about what impacts them. Whilst they are sometimes uncertain about what career or what job they might want to go to next, they’re very clear on the financial pressures they face and their families face.

Last week, I was in Hobart talking to young people. They were unanimous in detailing how hard it is to get a doctor’s appointment, never mind a job in small business. If they can find a doctor with availability, then the next hurdle for them is the cost. They also said that the doctor who might have an available appointment is definitely not a bulk-billing doctor. They also said that they have to pay $120 upfront, with approximately $70 for the out-of-pocket fee. Now, that’s not one Medicare card; that’s two—a Medicare card and a credit card. And guess what? Young people can’t get a credit card. Therefore, they don’t go to the doctor in Hobart, so their health is suffering, and, as a consequence of their health suffering, so too is their mental health, because they cannot access a GP and certainly cannot access a bulk-billing GP.

With the Treasurer’s interest rate rise, there will be less money for families, which means going to the doctor just became even more out of reach for young people. Interest rate rises also impact young people in other ways, and the consequences are that landlords will now put rent up because interest rates have gone up, making it even harder for people, particularly young people, to afford housing. Home loan repayments and small business loans for families are making it harder for employers to employ young people and more employees.

Who is going to pay for Labor’s addiction to spending? Who is going to pay for it? Well, it’s the taxpayer. That’s why this budget that’s coming this year is a blow-out. That is why Australians are now having to pay for this government’s reckless spending on our economy. Labor can put spin on their 13th interest rate rise, but Labor’s squeeze on Australians is being felt, and will now be felt even harder. We’re not happy with Labor, just like we’re not happy with Jan—not happy, Jan; not happy, Labor. Just ask any young person and they’ll let you know that too.

Labor spends, prices rise and you pay for it. They spend, prices go up and you get the bill. Insurances are up 39 per cent; energy is up 38 per cent; rent is up 22 per cent; health is up 18 per cent—that’s if you can get a doctor’s appointment; education is up 17 per cent; food is up 16 per cent. The more they spend, the longer inflation stays higher, and the more you have to pay the bills. They keep spending and keep asking you to tighten your belt while they spend your taxpayer dollars.

Living standards have gone backwards under this government. We’ve got a $1.2 trillion debt that is going to punish the next generations. You will have to pay for this government’s spending, so don’t believe a word they say. They spend, prices go up and you pay.