Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday the Prime Minister said:

… a ratio of debt to GDP at about 50 or 60 per cent is a pretty good result …

But isn't it the case that Tony Abbott's 'pretty good result' would see Australia lose its AAA credit rating?

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I call the honourable the Prime Minister, and there will be silence for the answer.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You caused the problem. You're a joke.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will desist.

Honourable members interjecting—

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. Not only will the cacophony of sound on my left cease; so will the interjections on my right, including the member for Casey and, indeed, the Treasurer. The Prime Minister has the call, and we will have silence for the answer. If the member for Wakefield wishes to remain in the chamber, he will remain silent.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Such a question from such a Leader of the Opposition is like the arsonist complaining about the fire. That is what it is: it is the arsonist complaining about the fire. Let me read what I actually said yesterday.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Put the hose on him.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, let's hose him down. I said:

Debt as a percentage of GDP which would have been 120 per cent under the policies of the former government is about 60 per cent under the policies of this Government—

those that it has already implemented. I went on to say:

Now, that's too high. We want to get it in a much, much better situation than that. We'd like over time to achieve this green line—

that is the green line here, which shows that we fix debt and deficit for a generation

but a ratio of debt to GDP at about 50 or 60 per cent is a pretty good result looking around the world, 120 per cent is a dire result and that's what we were going to have under the policies of the former government.

So that is the truth. What did the Leader of the Opposition say? He said, 'We have brought the budget back to surplus.'

Mr Conroy interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Charlton will leave under 94(a).

The member for Charlton then left the chamber.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Dr Goebbels of economic policy.

Honourable members interjecting—

I withdraw. I withdraw. I withdraw.

Honourable members interjecting—

I withdraw, Madam Speaker. I withdraw.

Honourable members interjecting—

I withdraw, Madam Speaker.

Honourable members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Everyone will sit down.

Honourable members interjecting—

There will be silence.

Honourable members interjecting—

There will be silence now, including from the member for Isaacs.

Honourable members interjecting—

I am on my feet. There will be silence.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

The member for Isaacs will leave under 94(a).

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order, Madam Speaker.

Honourable members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will listen to the Manager of Opposition Business but, my goodness, there will be silence!

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, given the nature of what the Prime Minister said, I ask you to reconsider ejecting the member for Isaacs on that particular comment. I think it is in the interests of the House.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, Madam Speaker, the member whom you have asked to leave the chamber used exactly the same description about Tony Abbott when Tony Abbott was the Leader of the Opposition—exactly the same description.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I said the member for Isaacs will leave, and he will, under 94(a).

The member for Isaacs then left the chamber.

Honourable members interjecting—

There will be silence. Now we will have order in this place. The Prime Minister has the call.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I do withdraw, and I do apologise for using that phrase. But the truth is that the Leader of the Opposition was claiming to his people that the government in which he served had delivered a surplus. Far from delivering a surplus—

Mr Watts interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gellibrand will leave under 94(a).

The member for Gellibrand then left the chamber.

Mr Shorten interjecting—

The Leader of the Opposition will also desist and withdraw the term 'liar'. He used a word that was unparliamentary.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you.

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

The member for Sydney will desist. The Prime Minister has the call. This place will settle down, and we will proceed with question time.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I make the point that members opposite repeatedly declared not just that they would bring the budget back to surplus but that they had brought the budget back to surplus. That is what they said time and time and time again.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton will desist.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just about every member of the opposition, when they were in government, claimed that not only would they deliver a surplus but they had delivered a surplus. In fact, they gave us the worst budgetary position in a generation. We are fixing it. There is a long way to go, but we have made a very strong start.