House debates Questions without Notice
Abbott Government
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
3:01 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister.
Mr Randall interjecting—
Sorry, did I get the call or not, Speaker?
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
I thought I got the call.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
We will have two from that side next time.
Honourable members interjecting—
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
I am sorry. If Don needs to ask his question, it doesn't worry me. But anyway, my question is to the Prime Minister. Before the election—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
Was the Leader of the Opposition offering to let the member for Canning ask his question?
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
No.
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
My question is to the Prime Minister.
Government members interjecting—
Madam Speaker, the hubbub from the rabble opposite!
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
My question is to the Prime Minister. Before the election one year ago, the Prime Minister promised: no cuts to health, no cuts to education, no changes to pensions, no cuts to higher education and no adverse changes to superannuation. Given that the Prime Minister has broken every one of those promises, how can Australians ever trust this Prime Minister again?
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
3:02 pm
Yet again, the Leader of the Opposition is simply dead wrong. Every year, government funding in the areas that he mentions goes up: hospitals, up nine per cent this year, nine per cent next year, nine per cent the year after that, and six per cent in the final year—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
Schools: up nine per cent this year, nine per cent next year, nine per cent the year after that, and six per cent in the final year—
Ms King interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
So what we have is an opposition that is mired in this culture of irrelevant complaint. They complain that we do not keep promises. They complain even louder when we do keep promises. All they ever do is complain. They are just the national complaints bureau; they are simply irrelevant. The Leader of the Opposition has dealt the Labor Party out of the national conversation, out of a constructive contribution to our national life. We will deal with the parliament, including the crossbench, that the people elected and with the people who are prepared to deal with us. That is what people expect and that is what we intend to do.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
I call the honourable member for Canning, and I apologise for missing him earlier.