Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. I refer to the Deputy Prime Minister's previous comments about fuel excise increases on 13 August 2009:

The extra cost of fuel always flows through to increased prices on everything we buy. The Coalition recognised this in 2001 when we put a freeze on fuel excise …

Deputy Prime Minister, what has changed?

Government members: Your debt!

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

There will be silence on my right! The Leader of the House will desist.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What has changed, and changed dramatically, is years of Labor debt—six years of Labor debt which has left the people of our country, and people living in regional Australia, to take on their share of the $25,000 per person debt on the heads of all Australians.

Ms Collins interjecting—

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

The member for Franklin is not in her seat and may not speak. If she wishes to leave, she will keep it up.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

All Australians have a debt now that they did not have when the previous coalition government was in office and delivering balanced budgets. The reality is—

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would like to refer you to page 111 of Practice, which refers to the front benches to the right of the Speaker being reserved for ministers, and members of the opposition executive sitting on the front benches on the Speaker's left; only other members have allotted seats. As long as anyone on the front bench of either side is sitting on the front bench, they are in their seat. Therefore, the members of the opposition executive should not be told they are out of their seat so long as they are on that bench.

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

They will still be told to be quiet! They are interjecting and it is disorderly.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The legislation this government will be bringing to the parliament in relation to the fuel excise arrangements involves assurances that there will be a diesel fuel rebate paid to those entitled to it to make up for the half-a-cent a litre increase in excise. If the Labor Party opposes that legislation—

Mr Shorten interjecting—

He has just indicated he is going to oppose it. He is going to deny regional Australians the excise rebate they are entitled to.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

There is too much chatter across the chamber!

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He is going to take away from regional communities our action to ensure there is no additional cost of transport passed on to those who live outside the capital cities. Shame, shame, shame on Labor: they are so out of touch with regional communities they are not prepared to support the fuel excise rebate paid to ensure that transport costs in regional Australia do not go up when there are increases in the fuel excise. The opposition has made it absolutely clear they do not care in the least about people who live in regional Australia. They are happy to tax and to run up debt; but when there is an opportunity to mitigate those costs they are going to vote against it. Shame!