Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
2:29 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's promise only 56 days ago that he would 'bring our country back into broad balance by 2017-18'. Does the Prime Minister stand by this commitment?
Government members interjecting —
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
I call the honourable the Prime Minister, and there will be silence on my right, including from the Leader of the House!
Opposition members interjecting—
There will be silence on my left! The Prime Minister has the call.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
It would be a lot easier to bring our nation back into broad fiscal balance if the member for McMahon handed back the $7.4 million that he was improperly granted, so it seems, if the Australian National Audit Office is to be believed. This government is absolutely—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
They did not say that. Liar! They didn't say that!
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Grayndler will withdraw! The member will withdraw!
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
I withdraw.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
The government are determined to restore the budget to surplus as quickly as we reasonably can. This government made a series of fundamental commitments to the Australian people in the lead-up to the election. We said we would repeal the carbon tax, we would stop the boats, we would build the roads of the 21st century and we would get the budget back under control—and that is exactly what we are doing.
Ms Owens interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
We will deliver, unlike members opposite. There are all sorts of libraries around.
Ms Plibersek interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I have got the Shorten library, and let me read from Mr Bill Shorten's 'Budget News'—
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
Say what you said 56 days ago!
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for McMahon has asked his question and will remain silent.
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order, on relevance. The Prime Minister was asked about what he said just 56 days ago.
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House
Give your money back!
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Grayndler is going to have a chance too, on a point of order.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Yes, thank you. The Leader of the House can withdraw the accusation that he made across the chamber. The member for McMahon has received no money, Madam Speaker, and it is an outrageous slur and it should be withdrawn.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
If the Leader of the House has made a remark which—
Mr Pyne interjecting—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
He should? He's got it, does he?
Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General
Withdraw!
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Isaacs does not assist! If the Leader of the House feels he has made a statement that could be interpreted as being a slur, he will withdraw to help the House. The member for Grayndler on a point of order?
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Yes, Madam Speaker. When I made an unparliamentary comment, I was asked to withdraw and I did so immediately and unconditionally.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
To accuse a member of parliament of taking money is a serious accusation—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member shall resume his seat. The Leader of the House has said that he did not make that statement.
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House
I am happy to clarify for the House. I made the point that he should give the money back from the rural development assistance fund, which does not belong in Fairfield; it belongs in rural Australia. I did not imply that he had taken the money personally; he did so on behalf of his electorate. It was wrongly given to that electorate and it should have been given to regional Australia.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
This government is determined to bring the budget back to surplus as quickly as possible. Members opposite used to think this was important, as is illustrated by the 'book of Shorten', which says:
In these uncertain global times there's no clearer sign of a strong economy than a surplus.
Then he went on to say—and talk about misleading the Australian people:
We've delivered a surplus, on time, as promised.
What a fabrication!
We are doing our best, despite the sabotage of members opposite, to bring the budget back to surplus and to deliver the surplus that Labor promised but never actually delivered. One of the ways to do that is to expose the kinds of rorts that we have just seen in government programs under members opposite. They established a regional development assistance fund, and what is absolutely obvious is that it was utterly rorted by members opposite, including, it seems, delivering $7.4 million to the member for McMahon's seat which should not have been delivered.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
They're so privileged over there!
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Grayndler will get off is high horse.
Mr Albanese interjecting—
The member for Grayndler is warned!