House debates Questions without Notice
Fuel Prices
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:40 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister agree with the Executive Director of the Australian Automobile Association, who yesterday described his petrol tax ambush:
I think frankly it's weak, it's sneaky and it's tricky - and I've to say as well I think it's also quite a gutless move.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
What did you do to the FTP?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The Treasurer will desist. The Prime Minister has the call.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:41 pm
Plainly I do not agree with that. This government is having the courage to tell the Australian people exactly how we propose to tackle Labor's debt and deficit disaster.
Ms Owens interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I suggest to the Leader of the Opposition that he should have similar courage.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Rankin will remove himself under 94(a). I have had enough.
The member for Rankin then left the chamber.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
We did tell the Australian people that we would be imposing budget discipline on our country. We did tell the Australian people dozens and dozens of times that we would be getting the budget—
Mr Shorten interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The Leader of the Opposition will desist or leave; the choice is his.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
under control and that it would not be easy. We have had the courage to put our plan forward. I do not say that every aspect of our budget plan is something that people like—I do not pretend that for a second—but we are prepared to tackle the long-term national interest. We are prepared to do what is in the long-term interest of our country, and all the Leader of the Opposition is ever prepared to do is play politics on this.
To his credit, he has been prepared to think of our nation and not just the next election when it comes to national security, and I say to the Leader of the Opposition it would be better for him as well as better for our country if on economic security as well as on national security he was prepared just for once to think about our country and not just about short-term politics.