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

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to reports that Senator Abetz sought to 'massage' jobs data to help the government meet the Prime Minister's one million jobs promise. Prime Minister, why is the government spending more time fighting the facts than fighting for jobs?

Mr Watts interjecting—

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

The member for Gellibrand will withdraw those remarks.

Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I withdraw.

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

If members opposite were serious about creating and protecting jobs, they would be joining the government in scrapping the carbon tax and the mining tax. That is what they would be doing. They would be joining this government in scrapping these job-destroying, anti Western Australian taxes. That is what they would be doing.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order: relevance. The question goes to an important issue—that is, as to what Senator Abetz did in trying to vary some of the presumptions on employment. It is a serious question and deserves to be treated as such.

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

The Prime Minister has the call and will answer the question.

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

The insinuations in the Leader of the Opposition's question are simply false, as a statement released by the Department of Employment today makes absolutely crystal clear. I tender the statement from the Department of Employment.