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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday in question time the Prime Minister would not rule out $100,000 science degrees. Today his ministers cannot give straight answers on the government's plans to collect student debt after death. So which is it, Prime Minister? Does the Prime Minister not know, does the Prime Minister not care or is the Prime Minister just not being honest?

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

That is a question that is full of argument, and I think perhaps rephrasing the question just to make it a simple, straightforward question would be a good idea.

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

Yesterday, it is a fact, the Prime Minister would not rule out $100,000 science degrees. Today it is a fact, no matter what shouting we hear from the government, that their ministers cannot give a straight answer on collecting student debt after death. So what is it, Prime Minister? Is it that the Prime Minister does not know about his unfair budget, he does not care about his unfair budget or he is just not being straight about his unfair budget?

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

The Prime Minister has the call. The question can stand.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He always has to smear, Madam Speaker.

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

The question stands.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker—

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

The Leader of the House will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

I am happy to deal with these matters, as you would expect, Madam Speaker. The Leader of the Opposition is speculating on debt. Let me give him this fact. Under Labor's policy a family of four would face a $100,000 share in Labor's debt bill of $667 billion. Look at the budget figures. Under Labor's policy our gross debt would have maxed out in 10 years time at $667 billion—$25,000 per Australian man, woman and child.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The member for Isaacs will desist.

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

That is the debt that this government was elected to address and that is what we are doing. We are addressing Labor's debt and deficit disaster. We are responding to Labor's interest bill. We are letting this country know how we will respond to Labor's debt and deficit disaster, how we will clean up Labor's mess. The challenge is for 'Interest Bill', sitting over there, to tell us how he would deal with Labor's interest bill.

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

The member for Fairfax has the call.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

The member for Isaacs will not shout at the chair. The Manager of Opposition Business.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, just quickly: the Prime Minister should refer to members by their title. At the end he did not. It is a very simple practice.

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

The member will resume his seat. The member for Fairfax has the call.