House debates Questions without Notice
Employment
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
2:32 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's statement in the House on Tuesday when he said he would never give $25 million—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
Would the deputy leader resume her seat. The member for Herbert, on a point of order?
Ewen Jones Herbert, Liberal Party
Yes, Madam Speaker: if you could just explain to her she has only got 30 seconds.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
I would say to the member for Herbert: that was too clever by half. Consider yourself warned! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition has the call.
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Can I start again, please?
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Thank you. Can the clock start again, please?
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Thank you. My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's statement in the House on Tuesday that he would never give $25 million to a highly profitable company. I also note that a few hours ago Cadbury's overseas parent company reported a profit of $3.9 billion in 2013. How do you explain the inconsistent treatment of these two companies?
Government members interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:33 pm
If the Leader of the Opposition didn't hog so many of the questions maybe some of his fellow frontbenchers would get some practice at asking a question!
One was a grant for tourism infrastructure; it had nothing to do with the business as such. The other was a request for $25 million from the taxpayer from a company whose parent had made $215 million in after-tax profit in the last six months. One was local tourism infrastructure. The other was business welfare, from a company with a better balance sheet than the Commonwealth of Australia.
I am delighted that we have seen some announcements from SPC Ardmona today—I really am. I want to thank all the people in this House, all the frontbenchers, everyone in this House on this side of the parliament, including the local member, who have been wishing well this great institution. We said SPC Ardmona had a good future, and it does. We said that it did not need $25 million from the Commonwealth, and it does not.