Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
2:23 pm
My question is to the Treasurer. I refer the Treasurer to his answer in the House last week that it is not possible to say how much the budget deficit had been blown out as a result of the government's changes in economic assumptions in the midyear forecast. I also refer the Treasurer to pages 29 and 30 of that forecast, which actually outline a $5.7 billion blow-out driven by his changes to economic assumptions. Why did the Treasurer mislead the House?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The honourable member will rephrase his question. The last part of his question is not within the standing orders. He knows that if he wants to make that there are other forms of the House to do it.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. My understanding of practice is that to use whether someone deliberately misled and to take into account the entire context of the question is what is before us at this moment—
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
That is exactly what practice says, and the Leader of the House knows it. Madam Speaker, if it is asked in the form of a question there must be a context which is asking whether or not this is so. It cannot be seen as an allegation. It is a question.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
There is no point of order, and I have said to the member for McMahon that he may rephrase his question so that it may be answered.
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
Madam Speaker, my question is to the Treasurer. I refer the Treasurer to his answer in the House last week that it is not possible to say how much the budget deficit had been blown out as a result of his changes to economic forecasts in the outlook. I also refer the Treasurer to pages 29 and 30 of the outlook, which actually show a $5.7 billion blow-out driven by his changes to assumptions. Why has the Treasurer not come into the House to correct his mistake?
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
2:25 pm
Well, there was no mistake. But I have found a mistake, because the member for McMahon said that there was a $5.7 billion mistake, and you remember that I said, 'Where did you get that from?' and he said 'Michael Pascoe,' and so on. And I said, 'You should go back to Swanny.' Well, that afternoon the member for Lilley tweeted that there was a $54 billion mistake.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would ask that the Treasurer refer to members by their titles.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
Quite correct. The honourable the Treasurer will refer to members by their titles.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
You've hit me! That is brutal! So you have the member for McMahon saying it is a $5.7 billion mistake, and the member for Lilley saying it is a $54 billion mistake—you are starting to make the member for Lilley look good!
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Treasurer was referring to a completely different question—I would suggest, quite deliberately.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
Has the Treasurer concluded his answer? The Treasurer has concluded his answer.
Opposition members interjecting—
There will be silence on my left!