Craig Laundy (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister inform the House how lower electricity bills, because of the repeal of the carbon tax, will help Australian families get ahead. What stands in the way of lower cost of living pressures for families in my electorate?

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

I do thank the member for Reid for his question. I welcome him to the House and I congratulate him on the really warm, genial and generous maiden speech that he made earlier in the week. The member for Reid has just voted to repeal the carbon tax. In fact, every member of the coalition has just voted to repeal the carbon tax. The coalition went to the election promising to repeal the carbon tax, and I am proud to be able to say in this House that we are keeping faith with the mandate that we sought from the people. By contrast, Madam Speaker, every single member of the Labor Party has just voted to keep the carbon tax. They said before the 2010 election that there would never be a carbon tax and they said before the election a couple of months ago that the carbon tax had been terminated, and yet this tax which they say has been terminated they have just voted to keep. That is what members opposite have done.

Bob Katter (Kennedy, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, Madam Speaker: I would like to endorse what the Prime Minister is saying, but I would like him to include me as a person who voted against it.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order, and the member for Kennedy would not want to try that one again.

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

Madam Speaker, you can understand the member for Kennedy's enthusiasm to repeal the carbon tax, an enthusiasm which ought to shared by members opposite, because in voting to keep the carbon tax, this is what they have voted to do: they have voted to keep every household's costs $550 a year higher than they should be. They have voted to keep domestically-produced cars $400 more expensive than they should be. They have voted to keep gas bills $70 a year higher than they should be. They have voted to cut our aluminium production by 60 per cent by 2050; to cut our iron and steel production by 20 per cent by 2050. They have voted to cut our gross domestic product by $1 trillion by 2050. They have voted to reduce our gross national income by $5,000 a person by 2050. They have voted to cut wages by six per cent by 2050. That is what they have voted for. Let's be absolutely crystal clear, Madam Speaker.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Isaacs.

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

The electricity bill is $200 a year higher, thanks to that Bill over there. That is what they voted for.