Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minster. I refer to the Prime Minister's comments earlier this year—golden words, really! He says:

What we have to do is spend less on lower priorities so we can spend more on high priorities …

Prime Minister, why are families, low-income earners and small businesses a lower priority for this government than tax breaks for some of the largest corporations in the world?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me say it again for the benefit of the Leader of the Opposition and members opposite—and people right around the country: we are going to implement the commitments that we made to the Australian people. Unlike members opposite, we were absolutely up-front with them before the election. We were absolutely honest and up-front about the various programs that we were going to axe, about the various programs that we were going to continue. We were absolutely honest and up-front with the Australian people before the election.

They voted for us knowing that it wasn't all going to be beer and skittles. It wasn't all going to be handouts. It certainly wasn't going to be all debt and deficit, which is what they had come to expect from members opposite. What we are not going to do is continue cash splashes with borrowed money. That is the Labor way, it is not the coalition's way and, frankly, it is not what the Australian people deserve. We will honour our commitments. If members opposite, were fair dinkum about doing the right thing by the families of Australia, they would allow us to get on with repealing the carbon tax and giving the households of Australia $550 a year extra.