Clare O'Neil (Hotham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm the Treasurer's view that because poor people do not drive cars they will not feel the impact of the Prime Minister's petrol tax ambush when it hits in two weeks?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer has dealt with that matter.

Ms King interjecting—

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

The member for Ballarat is not in her seat and may not interject at all.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have dealt with that matter and obviously I stand by my words, and the Treasurer stands by the explanation and the apology that he gave at the time. This so-called ambush is precisely the policy that was introduced by the Hawke government. What does it say about the contemporary Labor Party that they are always thinking about short-term politics and not about the long-term national interest? What does it say about the contemporary Labor Party when, having created this debt and deficit disaster, they are wilfully in denial about what they have done and they are refusing to engage constructively in solving the problem?

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The member for Isaacs will desist.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They were wreckers in government and now they are determined to be wreckers in opposition too. We stand by our budget measures. Our budget measures are necessary changes to address the debt and deficit disaster that the Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues have created.