Stephen Jones (Throsby, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. This morning the Prime Minister said:

The plan is working and we are sticking with the plan.

Prime Minister, given that in the Illawarra there are 10,000 people who are already looking for work and that BlueScope's Port Kembla plant looks like laying off a further 500 jobs, does this not show that your plan is not working?

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

I am very pleased that the member for Throsby has asked me about jobs in the Illawarra because the one political movement that was absolutely hostile to jobs in the Illawarra, particularly at BlueScope Steel, was the Labor Party. I well remember when Graham Kraehe, the chairman of BlueScope—a very gutsy, decent, business leader—went to the National Press Club to talk about the absolutely lethal threat that the carbon tax posed to BlueScope. What we have done for BlueScope is that we have saved BlueScope from the carbon tax.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton is warned!

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

What BlueScope have said that if the carbon tax comes back in any way, shape or form, steelmaking in this country has no future whatsoever. We all know what Graham Kraehe said about providing compensation for a carbon tax. He said that it would be like putting a bandaid on a bullet wound. Oh, yes—the member who asked the question can shake his head. But we have not forgotten, the Australian people have not forgotten and the people of the Illawarra have not forgotten—

Stephen Jones (Throsby, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You've got no plan. You're hostile to their jobs.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Thorsby will cease interjecting.

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

the threat that the carbon tax poses to jobs in the Illawarra, the carbon tax which this Leader of the Opposition wants to bring back. What the people of the Illawarra will get from this government is lower taxes, more infrastructure and freer trade. That is what they will get. What that means is more jobs for the people of Australia. The plan is already working—

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What plan? You don't have a plan.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Isaacs will cease interjecting.

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

with 335,000 more jobs since the election. That is why we are continuing with a plan because our plan for lower taxes, more infrastructure and freer trade is exactly what the people of Australia need if we are to have the prosperous jobs of the future.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I remind the member for Moreton.

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

The member who asked the question is sitting down there bellowing, Mr Speaker. He should have the guts to go to BlueScope Steel and say to the workers there, 'Re-elect us, and the carbon tax comes back.' Go on, say it.

Government members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my right will cease interjecting.

Mr Stephen Jones interjecting—

The member for Throsby will cease interjecting.

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

He makes a big man of himself in this parliament. He wants to make a big man of himself here in this parliament. Have the guts to go to BlueScope Steel and say: 'You put Labor back and the carbon tax comes back. If the carbon tax comes back, your plant and your jobs are gone.'

Ms Butler interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Griffith is delaying question time.