Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They did not say that. Liar! They didn't say that!

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

The member for Grayndler will withdraw! The member will withdraw!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

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

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—

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

The member for Parramatta is warned!

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

We will deliver, unlike members opposite. There are all sorts of libraries around.

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

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

The member for Sydney will desist!

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

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Say what you said 56 days ago!

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

The member for McMahon has asked his question and will remain silent.

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

He said, under 'Australia's economic report card':

BACK IN SURPLUS, ON TIME, AS PROMISED

In these uncertain global times there's no clearer sign of a strong economy than a surplus.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order, on relevance. The Prime Minister was asked about what he said just 56 days ago.

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

The member will resume his seat!

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Give your money back!

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

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He should? He's got it, does he?

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

The member for Grayndler will remain silent!

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Withdraw!

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

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Madam Speaker. When I made an unparliamentary comment, I was asked to withdraw and I did so immediately and unconditionally.

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

The member will resume his seat.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To accuse a member of parliament of taking money is a serious accusation—

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

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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.

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

The matter is at an end. We will move on.

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

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They're so privileged over there!

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

The member for Grayndler will get off is high horse.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

The member for Grayndler is warned!