Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Asian Century Policy. I refer the minister to page 83 of the Australia in the Asian Century white paper in which it claims one of the government's achievements is 'returning the budget to surplus'. Has the minister written to his counterparts in Asia to correct this false claim, and has he apologised for making it?

Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Competitiveness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Hope springs eternal. After 1,099 days I have finally got a question on policy from the opposition! On the weekend, I celebrated three years since I last had a question from the opposition. Therefore, I welcome this question with open arms. I welcome the fact that the Gillard Labor government has developed a sophisticated plan to engage Australia in the opportunities presented by the Asian century. We will have by 2030 three billion middle-class customers in Asia as we diversify our economy. We will continue to sell gas and minerals.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaker, I rise on a point of order on relevance. At the risk of encouraging the minister to break into karaoke, I ask that he address the question: has he apologised for the false claim in the white paper?

Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Competitiveness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This engagement will mean that we will diversify our economy into services and back into agriculture and into sophisticated manufactured goods as we take advantage of regional supply chains. The Australian economy is the envy of the world. When it comes to the budget position of the Australian economy, we are achieving the most rapid fiscal consolidation in Australia's history. We do not and will not accept the economy or budget policy prescriptions of the Leader of the Opposition. And this could not be more relevant.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will return to the question.

Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Competitiveness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition wonders why we are not going down the New Zealand path, which was a path to recession. At all times, the Labor government will put jobs first.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Trade will resume his seat. The member for Mackellar will resume her seat. The minister has the call and will refer to the question before the chair.

Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Competitiveness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is about budget policy and surpluses. I have indicated that this government is achieving the most rapid fiscal consolidation in Australia's history. I could not be more relevant.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat. Member for Mackellar, one point of order on relevance has already been taken on this question.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I refer to page 566 of the Practice, where it says, 'Where a minister is unable to provide a substantive answer, he should take it on notice.' The minister should take on notice why he put in that they had achieved a surplus and—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Mackellar will resume her seat. The member for Mackellar is again abusing points of order.

A government member: Buzz off.

The member might buzz off if he is not careful.

Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Competitiveness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the specific issue of budget policy, we are achieving this rapid fiscal consolidation and we are doing it ahead of every major advanced country on earth. We will always put jobs first. We will not go down the coalition pathway of recession, which the opposition leader recommended. He said that he did not know what was wrong with going down the New Zealand path, which—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will return to the question.

Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Competitiveness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

was a path to recession. On budget policy and on surpluses, we will always put the interests of the working men and women of Australia first. We have done that before and we will do it again because this is a Labor government that believes in the working men and women of this country and not the reckless and highly irresponsible policies that the coalition has always invoked.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat. Is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition seeking to table a document?

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Clearly, the minister has not read his own white paper, so I seek leave to table page 83.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to the point without the use of abuse.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to table page 83 of the white paper, which claims that the government achievements include returning the budget to surplus.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat. There is no need to table a document that has already been tabled.