House debates Questions without Notice
Superannuation
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:32 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Last night millions of Australians learnt that the Prime Minister is raiding their retirement savings.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Members:
Government members interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
Order! There will be silence on my right. Both the Treasurer and the Leader of the House will desist.
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
Why is the Prime Minister placing the interests of nine mining companies over the interests of almost nine million working Australians?
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
This morning Australians learnt that the Leader of the Opposition does not know what he stands for, does not know what he wants to do. The Leader of the Opposition was asked a very clear and simple question this morning: 'Would you reinstate higher compulsory contributions to superannuation at the next election?' If what the government is doing is as bad as the Leader of the Opposition claims, why wouldn't he want to remedy this situation? He was asked a very, very clear question.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There is no way that what the Prime Minister is referring to now is directly relevant to that question.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
There is no point of order. It is a very wide-ranging question.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I was asked about compulsory superannuation and I am referring to statements made about compulsory superannuation this very morning. The Leader of the Opposition was asked: 'Would you reinstate higher compulsory contributions to superannuation at the next election?'
Mr Dreyfus interjecting—
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Why does the Prime Minister back nine mining companies over nine million people?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member will resume his seat.
Government members interjecting—
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
It is all right for you clowns, you have got your defined benefit. You are hypocrites.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Maribyrnong will withdraw that unparliamentary language.
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
I withdraw.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
We will have no vulgarities across the table from anyone.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
You would think the Leader of the Opposition would be capable of giving a straight answer to a simple question: 'Would you reinstate higher compulsory contributions to superannuation at the next election?' You would think the man who is doing his angry union official impersonation now would be able to give a straight answer to that question. But what did he say? He said: 'We're not going to unveil our election policies now.'
Honourable members interjecting—
We know the Leader of the Opposition loved the carbon tax and is going to hit us with a carbon tax should Labor ever get re-elected. What we can conclude from this kind of prevarication is that he wants to restore the mining tax too.