agree with Senator O’Neill that there is an issue of cynicism. As Oscar Wilde famously said, “A cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” I accept that observation.
However, when a government introduces such fundamental changes to the taxation system, as we saw in the Labor Budget, the responsible course of action is to listen to those closest to the impact of those changes. The people seeing the effects on the property market and consumer confidence every day are best placed to understand what is happening on the ground. Listening to them is not cynicism. It is responsible policymaking.
I would like to quote Property Council of Australia Chief Executive Mike Zorbas, who has urged the Prime Minister and state and territory leaders to take urgent action to restore confidence and ensure the continued delivery of housing. He described the current conditions as a “falling knife market”, where buyers are increasingly wary of investment risks.
Mr Zorbas went on to say that buyer confidence is at all-time lows and that new housing supply is “dropping off a cliff”. We all want to see more housing supply. Yet one of the consequences flowing from the Labor Government’s Budget has been a sharp decline in confidence, which is undermining the delivery of new housing. The Labor Government should listen very carefully to those most connected to what is happening in the property market.
Deputy President, veterans attended Parliament today, and I commend Senator Cash for raising this important issue.
There are approximately 25,000 veterans each year who exceed the proposed $5,000 allied health care cap. The fundamental question remains: how will the Government process 25,000 applications from veterans seeking approval to access care beyond that cap?
I have reviewed the discussion paper released by the Department, which outlines a proposed model for additional services. The paper asks veterans themselves how the process should work for those with complex or ongoing health needs. In effect, the Department is asking veterans to help design a system that many have already made clear they do not support.
What I see in this discussion paper is additional bureaucracy, potential delays and the risk that veterans may miss out on the health care they need. The Labor Government should reconsider the $5,000 cap. I do not believe it will work in practice. I believe it creates unnecessary administrative burdens and will ultimately disadvantage veterans. Sometimes governments need to acknowledge when a policy is flawed and change course. This is one of those occasions.
Deputy President, in relation to tobacco excise, I share the sentiments expressed by Senator Sterle.
When I drive home from my office, like many Australians, I see an extraordinarily large increase in the number of tobacconist shops opening across our communities. The reality is that law enforcement is struggling to keep pace with the growth of this illicit market.
Organised crime is reportedly making between $4 billion and $7 billion a year from the illegal tobacco trade. One reason for this is that excise rates have increased to a point where many Australians can no longer afford to purchase cigarettes through legal channels.
The system is broken. The current excise regime is producing unintended consequences, strengthening organised crime and undermining legitimate businesses. The Government must recognise that the policy settings are not working and consider a more effective approach.
