Peter And Lindy Quickly Abandoned By New-look Nationals Jenny Macklin - Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Shadow Minister for Education, Employment and Training

Media Statement - 13 October 2003

The Acting Prime Minister today couldn't defend the interests of the new-look Nationals' target family from breakfast time to Question Time.

On AM this morning, Mr Anderson identified the Nationals' new target voters:

We might call them Peter and Lindy, they might be in their early to mid-30s, they've got two or three children, he might work in a light industrial centre, she might work a few hours with a local council or is a librarian or whatever, and they're not terribly switched on to politics, but they are concerned about their job security, they're worried about the opportunities for their kids, about health, and if you like, almost lifestyle issues that are very important to them.

But half an hour into Question Time, the Leader of the Nationals had already passed responsibility for Peter and Lindy's struggles to the Liberal Party.

The Acting Prime Minister muddled through questions from the Opposition about increased pressures on Peter and Lindy under the Howard Government because of tax increases, escalating health costs, the decline in bulkbilling, the flawed family payment system, inadequate training opportunities and the sale of Telstra.

On the fifth question on the high costs of university education for Peter and Lindy's children, the Acting Prime Minister ducked for cover and handballed the question to the Liberal Party.

Peter and Lindy found themselves quickly dumped by the Leader of the Nationals in his rush to distance himself from the massive fee hikes proposed in the Howard Government's university package.

The Nationals are clearly not up to the job of defending Peter and Lindy's interests for a whole day – let alone for a term of government.

The Nationals new-look strategy is just a tactical mirage. Peter and Lindy are suffering under the Howard Government and there's nothing the Nationals are doing to ease the burden.

No amount of re-branding can hide the fact that the National Party is as much responsible for the pressures on Peter and Lindy as the Howard Government.