Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
3:08 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Today we learned that the poorest 4½ million Australians control only one per cent of the nation's wealth—less than our nine richest Australians. Will the Prime Minister now abandon his unfair budget cuts where the burden is most felt by 4½ million of Australia's lowest paid? How is this unfair budget in any way in the interest of the working poor of this country?
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
That happened when you were in government.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
3:09 pm
I certainly want to see a more egalitarian society. Of course I want to see a more egalitarian society; we all want to see a more egalitarian society—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The question has been asked. The Prime Minister has the call. Your Leader of the Opposition has asked his question. Do him the courtesy of listening to the answer.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
This government has been in power for hardly nine months. Members opposite were in power for six years prior to that.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
The social problems that the Leader of the Opposition has discerned are problems that were created by his own government. That is the problem. This Leader of the Opposition has no plan for the future; he simply has a complaint.
This government does have a plan. We have a plan for a stronger economy and the way to get a stronger economy is to get a stronger budget. This is a fundamentally fair budget. It is a budget where everyone is playing his or her part. Yes, the top three per cent of taxpayers will face a deficit levy. They will pay, as they should. Members of parliament will pay because there will be a pay freeze. Motorists will pay through fuel indexation excise. Everyone is doing his or her bit. This is a budget for our country. This is a budget for the long-term benefit of our country. This is the kind of budget that only a strong and committed government could deliver, but this is the budget that the Australian people elected us to bring down. We said we would fix Labor's debt and deficit disaster—
Honourable members interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
and that is precisely what we are doing.