House debates Questions without Notice
Liberal Party: Leadership
Wayne Swan Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
2:17 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the finance minister’s statement this morning: ‘John Howard will lead us to this election. At some point, if we win, I assume Peter Costello will take over from him.’ Prime Minister, if you win the next election, when will Mr Costello take over?
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
The Australian people will decide who is the next Prime Minister of this country and, in the process of deciding their future, they will decide the future of the Leader of the Opposition and my future. Let me say again: particularly a Queensland member of parliament from the Labor Party has a bit of a nerve trying to extract time-specific pledges from me, given what Peter Beattie did. Peter Beattie misled the people of Queensland. Let me remind the member for Lilley what Peter Beattie said on 15 August 2006.
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
What is sauce for the goose ought to be sauce for the gander or indeed the rooster.
Wayne Swan Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
What are you saying?
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
What he had to say is this:
Kerry, my intention is to stay—
Wayne Swan Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order about relevance. The question was about the Prime Minister’s intention.
David Hawker Speaker
The member does not need to repeat his question. There is no point of order.
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
What I am pointing out to the member for Lilley is that his friend Mr Beattie has dishonoured time-specific commitments. Unlike Mr Beattie and Mr Bracks, I will not mislead the Australian people.