House debates Questions without Notice
Fuel Excise
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
2:38 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday the Prime Minister dismissed criticism of his broken promises and unfair budget as just a matter of 'atmospherics'. If yesterday was about the government resetting the budget why is the Prime Minister still ramming through his unfair petrol tax ambush?
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:39 pm
We are determined to do what members opposite never could—to restore fiscal responsibility to this country, to finally give this country a surplus.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Rankin has been warned. The shrieking voices on my left will cease.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
Members opposite have not delivered a surplus since 1989. Wyatt Roy was not even born when members opposite last delivered a surplus, but they have sure talked about delivering a surplus. They have sure talked about it! Listen to the member for McMahon:
The government has returned the budget to surplus three years ahead of schedule …
They are not just promising it; they have done it.
Ms Butler interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
He said:
… the government has returned the budget to surplus three years ahead of schedule and ahead of any other major advanced economy, and the debt and deficit campaign is now exposed for the fraud that it always was.
Well, debt and deficit is all members opposite know about, because it is all they are capable of delivering.
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Why have you doubled the deficit?
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
This government does not just talk about delivering a budget; we actually take the difficult but necessary decisions that are necessary to make it happen. Labor said it had happened, and it never did. We are actually taking the difficult but necessary decisions to give Australia the budget surplus that members promised but were never actually able to deliver.
Ms Butler interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Griffith can have an hour outside under 94(a).