House debates Questions without Notice
Carbon Pricing
Warren Truss Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals
2:08 pm
My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. I refer the minister to his statement yesterday with respect to Treasury modelling showing aluminium production will more than halve by 2050 under the carbon tax. I quote his statement:
First of all it's how you use the modelling and that depends upon the rest of the world doing nothing.
As the document actually states 'The modelling assumes comparable carbon pricing in other major economies from 2015-16', does the minister stand by his statement?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Honourable Members:
Peter Slipper Speaker
When the House becomes silent I will call the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations to answer the question. The House now being silent, he has the call.
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
2:09 pm
I would like to thank the member for his question in regard to what I said yesterday. He is referring to an interview where we were discussing the future of the Alcoa plant. Let us put the whole context in place.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
It is all right for the opposition to selectively catcall, but if you want to bring on some of the discussion you have to have all of the discussion.
Opposition members interjecting—
Peter Slipper Speaker
Order! All honourable members are entitled to respect and under the standing orders to be heard in silence.
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
Alcoa announced last week that they intend to review their Point Henry operations. This is a serious development and a serious announcement.
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
Mr Speaker, on a point of order: the minister was asked very specifically about the Treasury modelling and whether he stood by his statement. He was not asked a general question about the aluminium industry; he was asked about the Treasury modelling and whether he stood by the statement he made yesterday. It is as simple as that, and I would ask you to bring him back to the question.
Peter Slipper Speaker
I do apologise. My attention was temporarily diverted by the Attorney-General. The minister will be directly relevant to the question.
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
I was asked by the Leader of the National Party about comments yesterday in the context of the future of Alcoa.
Opposition members interjecting—
If you are too lazy to watch a whole interview, that is not my fault. The issue about carbon—
Opposition members interjecting—
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
Alcoa made an announcement last week reviewing their Point Henry operations. This is a serious issue. I had the privilege of representing Alcoa smelter workers for 14 years before coming into this place. For 14 years I have had the opportunity to see the good work that is done at Alcoa Point Henry. Alcoa Point Henry have made a decision to review their operations—
Opposition members interjecting—
Peter Slipper Speaker
I have said the minister will be heard in silence, and that does include the Manager of Opposition Business.
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
They are raising this issue for a couple of reasons. First of all, the Point Henry smelter has been a terribly efficient smelter in terms of industrial relations—I bet you hate that.
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
Mr Speaker, can I, in making my point of order, wish you many happy returns of the day, as I understand it is your birthday. Putting that to one side, you have asked the minister to be directly relevant to the question. You know what the question is. I ask you to force him to answer the question whether he stands by his statement and, if he refuses to answer it, to sit him down.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Mr Speaker, on the point of order: standing orders clearly provide for just one point of order on relevance to each question. What we have done is reduce the time for answers to three minutes. That should not be an excuse to double the time for points of order. I would ask you to ensure that the opposition is permitted only one point of order per question.
Peter Slipper Speaker
The Leader of the House will resume his seat. This does give me the opportunity of saying that when a point of order is taken on direct relevance or I discern that a minister is not being directly relevant I will draw the minister's attention to that fact. If the minister does not become directly relevant, he will be asked to resume his seat. I call the minister.
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
The context of the interview, which I am being asked about, was about the future of Point Henry—
Opposition members interjecting—
You are guilty of premature interjection over there. The whole interview was about the future of Point Henry and the use of carbon, and I certainly stand by the sentiments which I expressed in that interview. Carbon, and the price on carbon, which is a necessary reform for our economy, has nothing to do with the review on Point Henry.
Mr Randall interjecting—
Peter Slipper Speaker
Unless the member for Canning wants to be the first person sent out today he will desist from comment.
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
Those Point Henry smelter workers did not come down in the last shower. They know they are getting a review because of the high dollar and the low price of aluminium on the London Metal Exchange. They know that Alcoa New York is reviewing their operations at Point Henry. They know they have a severe challenge in front of them and they also know that you lot do not care about their jobs. You know it is unrelated to carbon and all you are trying to do is make political hay.
Peter Slipper Speaker
The minister will resume his seat. I now give the call to the honourable member for Robertson.