House debates Questions without Notice

Economy

Tuesday, 11 February 2014 House of Representatives

Bill Shorten

Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition

3:03 pm

I would like to associate the opposition with the remarks of the Minister for Justice. The parliament's member for McEwen, in fact, is not here because the areas very close to where he lives have been subject to these fires. The opposition wishes to record its ongoing gratitude to the CFA and emergency services and for the work of public servants at the council, state and national level for what they do.

My question is to the Prime Minister. In the light of the last answer about SPC, can the Prime Minister explain the difference between his government's treatment of SPC on the one hand and Cadbury on the other?

Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

3:04 pm

Well, they are totally different circumstances. One—

Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting

Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

if I may say so—

Opposition members interjecting

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker

We will have some quiet on my left, please.

Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

One, if I may say so, was a request for business welfare; the other, if I may say so, was a local tourism infrastructure grant.