House debates
Wednesday, 22 August 2012
Personal Explanations
3:14 pm
Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Madam Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to make a personal explanation.
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Does the Leader of the Opposition claim to have been misrepresented?
Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Serially, in question time today.
Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
First of all I was misrepresented by the Treasurer and by the education minister, who claimed that it was my policy to cut funding for public schools. It is not. No school will be worse off under the coalition, because we think the existing policy is fine.
Secondly, I was misrepresented by the Treasurer, who said that it was the coalition's policy—my policy—to increase company tax. Wrong; there was a 1.5 per cent company tax cut at the last election, and there would be no net increase in tax.
Thirdly, Madam Deputy Speaker, by the Minister for Health—
Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Madam Deputy Speaker—
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The Leader of the House will resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition must demonstrate where he has been misrepresented.
Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thirdly, Madam Deputy Speaker, I was misrepresented by the Minister for Health, who said that it was my policy to and that I had in fact cut funding for public hospitals. During my time as health minister, public hospital funding went from $7.49 billion to $9.76 billion, a 30 per cent nominal increase and a 17 per cent real increase.
And finally, I was misrepresented by the Prime Minister, who said that it was the opposition's policy—it was my policy—to retain the carbon tax. When I say there will be no carbon tax under the government I lead, I am telling the truth.
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.
3:15 pm
Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Madam Deputy Speaker, I table the budget paper that indeed shows the cuts, and I table the report where John Howard confirms a billion-dollar cut.
3:16 pm
Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Madam Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to make a personal explanation.
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Does the member for North Sydney claim to have been misrepresented?
Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I do.
Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The Treasurer again today said that I had claimed that there is a funding challenge of $70 billion for the coalition. I never said that.
Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Madam Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to make a personal explanation.
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Does the Manager of Opposition Business claim to have been misrepresented?
Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Yes, most grievously by the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth.
Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The minister again today claimed that I had a plan to cut public schools. In fact, the only political party with a plan to cut public schools is the government—
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The member for Sturt will resume his seat.
Sharman Stone (Murray, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Does the member for Murray claim to have been misrepresented?
Sharman Stone (Murray, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
In question time today I asked a question of the Prime Minister. In answering that question, she immediately implied that I had misrepresented the facts of a bill which I had with me and have with me still, which showed that a 15 per cent price increase had occurred on that bill due to an itemised number of the carbon tax. I found that imputation quite offensive, and I also was concerned that I was not allowed to then present the paper so that the Prime Minister could check it and see that I had not represented the facts.
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The member for Murray will resume her seat.
3:17 pm
Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Settlement) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation as well.
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Does the member for Brisbane claim to have been misrepresented?
Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Settlement) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Yes.
Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Settlement) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Earlier today in question time, the Prime Minister implied that I somehow was misleading the House as a result of the electricity account that I have in my hand now. The electricity account shows a carbon adjustment figure of $1,200—
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The member for Brisbane must demonstrate where she has been misrepresented.
Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Settlement) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
and I did offer to table the account as well.
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The member for Brisbane will resume her seat.
Honourable members interjecting—
Order!
Ms Julie Bishop interjecting—
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition!
Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Madam Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: the Deputy Leader of the Opposition should withdraw that statement—that statement that I am a bagman. She should withdraw it.
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will withdraw.
Opposition members interjecting—
Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
No, she didn't, and you know it.
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will withdraw.
Honourable members interjecting—
Order! Thank you very much. The member for Ballarat is seeking the call.
Honourable members interjecting—
Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will withdraw.
Opposition members: She did!
Again.
Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I withdraw.
Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you. And we will not continue this unedifying spectacle.