Well, the old saying that my father used to say is, 'Sorry is the hardest word to say.'

That is not a word that we ever really hear from the government. It is a word that this government does not want

to say, because it is not sorry for any of the cuts that were introduced and that the community have had to put

up with, with fear and concern, for the last three years. This government has a horrific record when it comes to

looking after those that are vulnerable and disadvantaged. My community in the southwest of Brisbane knows

that. One of the things I heard continuously in the election, coming up to a year ago, was that people felt that

they were under pressure. They felt that the government was not on their side. They felt that it was a government

that had the deck stacked against them.

Nothing has changed whatsoever. The only thing that has changed is the fact that this government does not have

the numbers. Let's be clear: if they had the numbers, all of these measures would be passed. They would be

rejoicing. Who can forget Joe Hockey on that famous first budget night when he played the music and danced

around in his office to 'The best night of my life?' Who can remember that? It was the best night of his life and

the worst night of Australia's life, when we saw the unfair and cruel cuts introduced.

The electorate of Oxley has a high level of people relying on government support. They know that there are people

in my community that are doing it tough, but they are a resilient and strong community. I want to place on record

in the House today thanks for the community organisations, for the local residents and for the leadership of the

Labor Party before I was elected, who have campaigned side by side with activists right across this country. Just

last week in my electorate the community rallied and came together to make sure in the week before the budget

that this parliament, this government and this minister heard very clearly, 'Hands off our services; no more cuts.'

I was so pleased that the shadow minister, the member for Jagajaga, was able to join the community. This rally

had people represented from the community sector and from churches, volunteers and local residents. It did not

make the front page of The Australian newspaper and it did not lead the news that night, but there was the power

and strength of that community. The member for Jagajaga and I were was so proud that the community would

take a stance, unite and stand as one. They are the people who deserve to be acknowledged, not this government

that it is walking away slowly, backwards—cowardly, in my opinion. It does not even have the guts. It is little

wonder that the minister is remaining silent on this. In this, the same week that showed he would lose his own

electorate—polls have shown just how deeply unpopular his own government is in his own electorate—we saw

Australians uniting and standing up to the bullying tactics of this government right across Australia.

At the rally we heard from representatives of the people like Father Peter Moore, a wonderful community leader

who provides great care and compassion through the Anglican parish of Goodna in my electorate. He runs a

fantastic organisation which provides counselling, housing support, food and clothing—all of those essential

services—because the community is under stress and under pressure through no support and help from this

government whatsoever.

We also heard from magnificent community champions, like Shirley Crawley from the Family Accommodation

& Support Service in Inala. Shirley has been a volunteer in my community, helping disadvantaged people, for

the last 30 years. She stood shoulder to shoulder with the member for Jagajaga and me, on stage in front of my

local residents—standing strong and standing up to this government.

We know that the cruel cuts are not all gone. My community knows, just as every other electorate in Australia

knows, that although the government may be dropping one iteration to cuts to family budgets they have introduced

new cuts into this budget. These are cuts that will leave around 100,000 hardworking families worse off. We

know that the government cannot be trusted when it comes to Australian families, and we know that there is a

new cut to the family tax benefit that will leave a family with two children in high school on $105,000 worse

off by $1,700 from 1 July next year.

That is not a lot of money for those sitting at the dispatch box on the government side. I know that that does not

mean a lot to those opposite. It means an incredible amount of support for families in my electorate. I want to

place on record just the cruelness that they are going to make as a result of this budget. It is all very well wanting

to have some sort of pat on the back when the Australian community have forced you into this position. It is not

because you have disagreed with it, or that you have had a change of heart or that you think it was bad public

policy: it was the numbers. It was the numbers which showed that you simply could not deliver this project.

Mr Pyne: What's all this about?

Mr DICK: I can hear the Leader of the House asking: 'What's all this about? Why are they talking about all

these cuts? Can't we do something about this?' No—through you, Mr Deputy Speaker—you cannot, because the

Australian community are onto you. They are awake. Just as they rallied in my community, they will continue

to rally against what you are proposing for Australia.

Earlier last week, before the rally, I was able to meet with a large group of seniors and pensioners, who the

shadow minister addressed. It might be a lesson for the minister to actually go out and listen to the community.

He is in a bit of a witness protection scheme! I cannot go through all of the issues those seniors had. There were

a couple of hundred seniors who gathered together with the shadow minister and me at the Jindalee Bowls Club,

and the feedback was very clear: hands off the pension and hands off on the cuts to seniors.

Time and time again, when this government needs to go somewhere they do not go to the top end of town. They

do not go after them at all. We know that because their approach is to give the top end of town tax cuts, to

give them a helping hand. We get that. We know on this side of the chamber and in my community that that

is this government's agenda. The Australian community can see that. But, time and time again, when it comes

to attacking those who can least afford it, that is the go-to. That is the alternative place where this government

always goes first.

Just once, wouldn't it be nice if you had a government minister or a member of the government get up and

apologise for the uncertainty, the fear, the issues that they have created. No, they are not interested in that at all.

They are never interested in apologising or saying sorry or simply saying, 'We got it wrong'. Well, you have got

it wrong. And you got it wrong in this budget as well. We will continue to fight what you are trying to do; you

are trying to remove the social safety net in this country. Time and time again, cruel, conservative governments

have gone down this path. When will you learn? When will you hear the message across Australia? Hands off

our services. Hands off pensioners and making sure that they get a fair go.

Government members interjecting—

Mr DICK: You can hear them bleating now. They do not like it when the truth is exposed—through their

electorates, right across Australia—that the cuts have now been exposed. But it is not finished. It is not over. We

know that they are still coming after pensioners. We know they are still coming after families who need support.

Time and time again, this opposition led by Bill Shorten and shadow minister Jenny Macklin will continue to

fight you every step of the way. We will stand beside the Australian community while you try to tear them apart.