House debates Questions without Notice

Economy

Wednesday, 18 March 2009 House of Representatives

Malcolm Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition

2:12 pm

My question is again to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister advise the House how burdening our children with Rudd-debt to give borrowed money to crims rather than supporting struggling small business and self-funded retirees fits within his moral compass?

Kevin Rudd

Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister

I thank the honourable Leader of the Opposition for his question and the attack contained within it on the policies of Mr Howard and Mr Costello.

Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Kevin Rudd

Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister

Well, if the Leader of the Opposition and the tactics committee—which we know from the intervention yesterday from the Manager of Opposition Business in the House contains 20 or more tactics and is growing each day—had at least formed a subcommittee to examine what the policies of the previous government were in the making of these payments, perhaps they would not have asked this question in the first place. I say to the Leader of the Opposition: once you have embarked upon a question time strategy like this, when you know that you have run into a fundamental contradiction, quit while you—

Harry Jenkins

Harry Jenkins Speaker

The Prime Minister will resume his seat.

Christopher Pyne

Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

Harry Jenkins

Harry Jenkins Speaker

The Prime Minister has concluded.