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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday the Prime Minister dismissed criticism of the government's broken promises and unfair budget as 'a matter of atmospherics'. If yesterday was about hitting the reset button, will Senator Johnston still be the defence minister when parliament resumes in February?

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

Of course the Minister for Defence has my support. He deserves the confidence of this parliament because he is making up for six years of neglect by members opposite. When it comes to the Air Warfare Destroyer Program, which was the subject of debate in the Senate last week, it was $300 million over budget and 21 months behind schedule. The Minister for Defence is doing what is necessary to rescue that project.

When it comes to trustworthiness and who can be relied upon, let me read the opinion of Julia Gillard, the former Prime Minister of the Leader of the Opposition—'Julia Gillard routinely referred to the likes of Albanese, Swan, Arbib and Billy Shorten as the dark side of the Labor Party—numbers men who believe in nothing but—

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 on direct relevance.

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

It was a very broad question. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

Madam Speaker, this is the problem with members opposite: they stand for nothing; they believe in nothing; they are incompetent in government; they are wreckers in opposition. This government is fixing the mess that members opposite left us, and for the nation's sake they should stop sabotaging it.