Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to a statement by the new Labor Senator Alex Gallacher that a carbon tax on diesel fuel will force truckies to 'go broke or cut corners'. Additionally, the Western Australian secretary for the TWU, Paul Aslan, said: 'Truck drivers cart every darn thing in this country. Don't people realise how important they are?' With the forgotten families of Australia already struggling under the rising costs of living, why is the Prime Minister introducing a carbon tax that will push transport costs even higher and flow through to higher prices for everything?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I certainly do respect the work of truck drivers. They work very hard for this country. That is why I was so determined to replace Work Choices with the Fair Work system so that they had a safety net and the benefit of decent working conditions. I did not want to see people who worked as truck drivers have their penalty rates taken away and have the money in their pockets stripped away through Australian workplace agree­ments.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Say thank you with a carbon tax.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Cook will leave the chamber for one hour under standing order 94(a).

The member for Cook then left the chamber.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did not want them to be able to be unfairly sacked for no reason at all. So we have acted to work with truck drivers on their terms and conditions. Of course, many of them are owner-drivers not employees, and we have worked constructively with the Transport Workers Union on issues associated with owner-drivers and we will continue to do so.

On the member's question about carbon pricing, can I suggest to the member that he study the details on Sunday when the full details of carbon pricing are released. He has asked me why I am pricing carbon. The answer to why is: I accept the science; I accept that our climate is changing; I accept that it is caused by human activity; I accept that means that we need to cut carbon pollution; and I accept the economic advice that the best way to do that is by putting a price on carbon—that is, on the economics of the proposition I accept the same propositions that Prime Minister John Howard did, that the Leader of the Opposition did when he sat in Prime Minister Howard's cabinet and which he has accepted on many occasions since but no longer accepts now. I certainly believe that system—

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: this was a question about a carbon tax pushing up transport costs and flowing through to consumers. The Prime Minister is not even attempting to answer that question. I would ask you to direct her to be directly relevant to the question.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The standing orders require that the Prime Minister be directly relevant to the question and the Prime Minister will respond in that fashion.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was asked about trucks, carbon pricing and cost of living. I was just about to say that, on questions of cost of living, of course we want to work with Australian families. That is why nine out of 10 households will get the benefits of tax cuts or payment increases. What I do not want to see is the Leader of the Opposition's $720-a-year tax slug. What I do not want to see is the Leader of the Opposition's plan—

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Prime Minister will respond directly to the question and, as I have said before, whilst standing orders as they stand allow debate in answers, I prefer that that be minimised. The Prime Minister has the call.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was responding to the member by saying it is my intention to work with Australian families to assist them with their cost-of-living pressures and it is my intention to defend them from alternative propositions to take money out of their pocket.