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

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. I refer to reports of Liberals boasting about playing the Nationals like a banjo over their broken promise to increase the fuel tax. With his budget of broken promises the Prime Minister has deceived veterans, motorists, pensioners and families and now we find out that he has even deceived the National Party and regional Australia. Is there anyone in Australia that this Prime Minister has not lied to?

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

The honourable member will withdraw that unparliamentary term, which he knows is not to be used.

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

Yes, I withdraw that.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

We all missed you.

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

Madam Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition's question could not possibly be in order. It was another political rant across the dispatch box. He made no attempt to ask any kind of genuine question. If the opposition persist on asking questions like that, they have to expect the government to answer them in whatever way they choose.

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

Before the Leader of the House rose I was about to make the point that the question was full of argument, irony and a litany of other things that are prohibited; however, I will let the question stand but the comment made by the Leader of the House that it is wide ranging and the answer will be wide ranging also stands.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The assertions made by the Leader of the Opposition and the report on the ABC are simply wrong.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

There will be silence!

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition is strong. It is based on an atmosphere of trust and reliance on one another. It has been strong for 65 years. For 65 years we have worked together to build a better country.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

There will be silence on my left!

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have so often—

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

The Acting Prime Minister will resume his seat. Simply because I allowed a question that was capable of being ruled out of order to stand does not mean to say that I will tolerate that wall of noise from my left. And those on my right will also desist.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So often coalition governments have been called upon to fix up the mess left by Labor. That is what we are doing collectively as a team again now. We have to collect up, to pick up, the pieces that Labor have scattered across the nation and build a strong economy. That is what we are doing as a cooperative, close-working team. We are strong. We are getting on with the job and we will be delivering better outcomes for all Australians.

Mr Husic interjecting—

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

There will be silence from the member for Chifley!

Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the minister please explain how fixing the budget, and in particular abolishing the carbon tax, will strengthen the economy and relieve cost-of-living pressures for all Australian families?

Ms Macklin interjecting —

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

The member for Jagajaga will desist!

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. He would know that every family has to live within its means. Every family has to have a budget that balances. If they spend more on one thing, they have to save money somewhere else. That is true also of governments. If governments spend money on one thing or if they spend more than they have got then somehow or other they have to find a way to make that up. Of course, Labor just spent and spent, wasted and wasted, and did little or nothing to make up for their waste. They left a legacy of debt for this government to pick up. So much of their disastrous expenditure programs—their roof insulation scheme, the National Broadband Network, overpriced school halls—was waste—

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The member for Isaacs will desist!

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This was waste that Labor inflicted upon the Australian people and have left for future generations to repay. But they have not yet learnt the lesson.

In just 26 days time the carbon tax will be increased again. The carbon tax will go up. This $550 a year burden on every family will go up again on 1 July, from $24.15 to $25.40. The world's biggest carbon tax will become even bigger. Labor are fighting tooth and nail to keep this tax and to keep it growing. They want to continue to place this burden on Australian families and help make business in this country less profitable—there will be less opportunity for Australians to achieve their potential. Labor are determined to make sure that this carbon tax continues to go up. If they were still in office, they would be legislating this week to extend the carbon tax to road transport. That was a part of their commitment. They went to the election promising to extend the carbon tax to road transport.

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

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

The member for Rankin will desist!

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

a tax of course that particularly affects people in regional Australia. The hypocrisy of Labor to be pretending that they are concerned about regional Australia while they are still committed to imposing a carbon tax on transport and raising the cost of living for everyone who lives outside capital cities! That is the kind of government that Labor were. They have not changed. They have not repented. They still want higher taxes for Australians and greater costs of living.

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

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

The member for Rankin will withdraw that remark.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.