House debates Questions without Notice
Fuel Prices
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
2:27 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's decision to ambush Australian motorists with a new $2.2 billion petrol tax, with no mandate from the Australian people and no approval by parliament. If the parliament does not pass this measure, the tax collected will need to be refunded. Can the Prime Minister guarantee that every cent of the petrol tax Australian motorists pay over the next 12 months will be returned to motorists and not to oil companies?
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
We have a clear mandate to fix Labor's debt and deficit disaster and that is why we brought down the budget that we did to address Labor's debt and deficit disaster—
Mr Bowen interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
The measure referred to by the shadow Treasurer was a budget measure. It is going to raise from the average family 40c a week. It is simply putting back in place a measure that the former Hawke government put in place back in the 1980s, and I have got to say that every single cent raised by this measure will be spent on the better roads that Australia so desperately needs. I have concluded the answer.
Mr Bowen interjecting—
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
You don't know, do you?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
I might add, Member for McMahon, that your question was very close to being ruled out of order as it was hypothetical.