Malcolm Turnbull declares the era of reform complete, but it never got off the ground

Malcolm Turnbull gives his first big speech of the year in Toowoomba, yesterday:

2016 and 2017 were years of reform and this is the year we really start to see the rewards of that hard work.

Ah, the years of reform. They were great. The Prime Minister speaking in central Queensland, February 16, 2016:

Well, I can assure you that the government will not be taking a proposal to increase the GST to the election.

Remember the time Turnbull reformed the federation? The federation white paper’s website, April 28, 2016:

There will now not be a white paper.

And all those spending cuts. Oh boy. Treasurer Scott Morrison on the ABC’s 7.30, May 9 last year:

Leigh Sales: Could you be the first Liberal treasurer in history to deliver a Labor budget?

Morrison: Well ... We’ve had to reverse $13.5 billion worth of (spending reduction) measures from the 2014-15 and 2015-16 budgets, which the Senate would not pass …

Wait, what were the reforms again? The Prime Minister in Toowoomba, yesterday:

Genuine, needs-based funding begins for our schools for the first time in our history — national, consistent, needs-based funding. Childcare will be more affordable for low and lower middle-income families from July …

Turnbull means all those times they spent other people’s money. Morrison and Sales on 7.30, continued:

Sales: You’ve got a Medicare guarantee, you’re paying for Labor’s NDIS with a tax, you’re implementing Labor’s Gonski education plan, you’re taxing the big banks ... That can’t get more Labor, can it?

Morrison: I disagree with you.

So what’s the nation’s big reward this year, Malcolm? Toowoomba, continued:

Our next priority ... is further tax relief for middle income earners.

Tax cuts for workers in 2018? This comment may be turning up in Cut & Paste soon, then … Turnbull on Townsville’s 102.9 FM, January 22:

Well there will be an election in 2019.

An early election might also explain why Turnbull is now open to a federal ICAC. The Prime Minister in Regents Park, NSW, Wednesday:

Reporter: Bill Shortenis expected to announce today Labor’s support for a National Integrity Commission. Will you talk to the opposition about setting up a body like that?

Turnbull: We are looking at this issue. As you know I’ve said we certainly haven’t ruled it out.

Michael Sukkar clearly didn’t know they were “looking at this issue”. The Assistant Minister to the Treasurer speaking on ABC Melbourne Radio, Wednesday:

Raf Epstein: Do you support the idea of a National Integrity Commission or a national ICAC?

Sukkar: ... No, no I don’t.

And Bill Shorten recently starred on an ABC comedy show, of all things. The Opposition Leader on Instagram, yesterday:

Always a good laugh with @tomcballard on the Tonightly @abccomedy

Chuckling over your laughable socialist policies? Finance Minister Mathias Cormann in The Australian, yesterday:

Shorten clearly thinks he can coast into the prime minister’s office on the back of cynical, lazy plagiarism of the socialist, populist playbook of Corbyn Labour in the UK.