Thank you, Speaker.

 

I have to say, it’s very rich of those opposite to talk about broken promises, Deputy Speaker.

 

It’s very rich.

 

They were a government that likely broke more promises to the Australian people than any government that came before them.

 

Broken promises were the aim of the game.

 

They were all about the photo op, and had no follow up.

 

Those opposite loved nothing more than to make grand announcements and then zip their lips when it came time for delivering.

 

We only have time to touch on a few.

 

But who could forget when the former Prime Minister and Member for Warringah promised no cuts to the ABC and SBS, no cuts to education and health?

And he then went in there on the worst budget ever delivered in this country that did the exact opposite of what was promised.

 

What about the time they promised stable government, before stabbing one Prime Minister and then another Prime Minister in the back?

 

Those opposite hold the record when it comes to knifing their own leaders, they hold that record by a country mile.

 

What about when they promised us new submarines?

 

Not only did they flip on that one, they cost the Australian taxpayer over $5 billion, money that has just disappeared, and with no subs to show for it.

 

In fact, Mr Speaker, the list of their failed promises in the Defence arena alone would have us here half the day reading through it.

 

They promised not to close Medicare local offices, and then they went right ahead and shut some.

 

They promised to engage more with First Australians and do more to close the gap, but they’ve refused to back the Uluru Statement from the Heart – a very basic starting point, Mr Speaker.

 

What about when they promised to deliver a National Anti-Corrruption Commission?

 

That was a good one, Mr Speaker.

 

They took that one to the 2019 election and then steadfastly refused to do a thing about it.

 

The only promise they kept was to hunt down helpless Australians with their unlawful, illegal Robodebt scheme, pursuing our most vulnerable for debts they knew they didn’t owe.

 

Some of those people ended up dead, Mr Speaker. It is shameful, absolutely shameful.

 

And a Royal Commission is investigating that shameful episode right now.

 

The only thing those opposite really delivered for Australians over almost a decade on government was a mountain of waste and rorts.

 

They lined the pockets of their big business record-profit-making mates with billions of dollars of JobKeeper payments.

 

They managed to spend $30 million on land for the second Sydney Airport, 10 times what the land was valued.

 

Astonishing.

Their rorting of Government grant programs is well known, with Sports Rorts and Carpark Rorts and any other number of rorts.

Well, enough is enough, Mr Speaker.

 

Australia voted with its feet and it abandoned those opposite in droves.

 

And they have turned to Labor as the Government they trust to keep the promises we make.

 

We promised to take action on climate change, AND WE HAVE.

 

We promised to invest in skills and training, AND WE HAVE.

 

We promised to overhaul the child care system, AND WE HAVE.

 

We promised we’d invest in the regions, AND WE HAVE.

 

We said we’d establish a National Anti-Corruption Commission, and that is on its way.

 

We said we’d get wages going, and our Secure Jobs Better Pay legislation is also on its way.

 

Those opposite don’t understand how to invest in macro-scale productivity measures to grow the economy and reduce the cost of living.

If they did, maybe they would have done it.

 

All they did do was hide reports into the skyrocketing cost of electricity.

 

They took a lot of measures over the past few years that have contributed to our ballooning inflation.

 

And all they can do now is talk about Labor’s promise to cut household power bills by 2025.

 

Well, Mr Speaker, last time I checked, 2025 was still three years away.

 

Labor is still committed to that promise.

 

That’s why we’re laying the groundwork now to get energy prices under control and to reduce the cost of living.

 

Because that’s what a responsible government does.

 

We say what we’re going to do, and then we do it.

 

Maybe those opposite should try it sometime.