Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak to this sham piece of legislation we have before us today—that is, the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (2014 Budget Measures No. 6) Bill 2014. Let us put into context what has happened here. We have had debate after debate in this place, on the streets and out amongst the Australian community over the harsh budget that was handed down by none other than Mr Abbott and his cigar-smoking Treasurer, Joe Hockey. They introduced a budget that was all about whacking those least able to afford it and making deep cuts into the pockets of those who are most vulnerable.

We had in this place was a show of solidarity against the harsh budget up until today. We now have the Labor Party in a grubby deal with the Liberals to rush pieces of this legislation through the chamber in less than a few hours. That is what these guys are all up for. Labor were really worried about people. They were out at the 'bust the budget' rallies. Mr Bill Shorten, the Leader of the Opposition, was out there saying: 'Look, I will take Tony Abbott on. I will take him on. I will be the opposition leader that this country needs.' On the day that the opposition leader should have been staring down the Abbott government and their harsh cuts, he blinked. No wonder they call him 'Blinky Bill' when he folded at the last hurdle.

Here we are in the Senate, the house of review, where we should be standing up to the harsh cuts of the Abbott government, yet Labor have gone weak at the knees. You can just imagine little Bill Shorten out there at the front of the 'bust the budget' rallies with half a flag.