Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
2:51 pm
My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, what would be the impact on the budget bottom line if the Treasurer's nominal growth forecast dropped by one per cent in 2016-17?
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
2:52 pm
That is a hypothetical, at any rate. I am glad I have a question from the member for McMahon, the shadow Treasurer. We were about to ask the Serjeant-at-Arms to call the roll to see if he was still here—two days after the budget. We stand by our forecast, and I tell you what: look behind you. There is the member for Lilley, who got every single number wrong. I tell you what—no, I am just kidding you.
Mr Watts and Mr Conroy interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The members for Gellibrand and Charlton are both warned!
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
I tell you what I wanted to get out of my folder—this: 'Labor to launch prosperity commission to help shape economic policy.' Hullo?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The Treasurer will resume his seat. The member for McMahon, on a point of order.
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. On a point of relevance, the Treasurer's forecasts turn on this very important question. If the Treasurer does not know the answer, he should just—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member will resume his seat. He knows perfectly well that standing orders may not be used to engage in argument, which is what he did then. Do it once more and you will leave the chamber. The Treasurer has the call.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
The honourable member would know that there is a particular part of the budget papers which deals with upside and downside risks. If you are asking me to hypothesise about a number, you are not going to get an answer, because we stand by our numbers. I tell you what: old 'Swannie' over there, the well-tanned member for Lilley—I know what he is up to—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The Treasurer will resume his seat. Quite frankly, the member for Parramatta was on her feet before the Manager of Opposition Business. The member for Parramatta, on a point of order?
Julie Owens Parramatta, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would ask that members refer to other members by their correct titles.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
Certainly. The Treasurer will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. When a question contains absolutely no argument, the relevance rulings must be more constrained. They must, by definition.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
There is no point of order. The member will resume his seat. I would suggest he goes back and takes a look at the discussion on the meaning of 'direct relevance'. It may assist him in his endeavours. I call the honourable the Treasurer, and please refer to people by their correct titles.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
I am sorry. I know what the member for Lilley is up to at the moment. He is trying to come back.
Ms MacTiernan interjecting—
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
He was the last Labor Treasurer to get every single number wrong, apart from the member for McMahon—
Ms MacTiernan interjecting—
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
who got it $30 billion wrong when he said there would be an $18 billion dollar deficit and it turned out to be a $48 billion deficit. They are so proud of the effort of the member for Lilley. Listen to this: 'Labor to launch prosperity commission to help shape economic policy.' This is what we are going to hear tonight.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The Treasurer will resume his seat. The member for Isaacs, on a point of order?
Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. My point of order is under standing order 91. This Treasurer is wilfully disregarding the standing orders, making a mockery of the processes of this House, and you should call—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
There is no point of order. The member will resume his seat. Resume your seat. The Treasurer has the call.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
I think I am viewing witness protection.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The rulings at the moment are making 'direct relevance' completely inoperable in this parliament—completely. You are letting him say—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member will resume his seat. What I am seeing is a deliberate campaign of points of order designed to stop and disrupt. That is what the evidence is showing me. The Treasurer has the call.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
Thank you, Madam Speaker. It says:
Labor’s thinktank, the Chifley Research Centre, will … launch a new inclusive prosperity commission to help shape the opposition’s economic policy development process in the lead-up to the 2016 election.
… … …
The project will be led by … Wayne Swan—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Perth was asked to leave.
The member for Perth then left the chamber.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
the former treasurer, who recently renominated for his Queensland seat of Lilley.
Opposition members interjecting—
I can hear all the cheers over there. I can hear the cheers all around the nation: 'Swannie is coming back! He did such a great job when he promised all those budget surpluses—we want him to come back!' And there are all his fans—they are all getting up.
Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It is clear that the Treasurer does not know the answer to the question, but he needs to refer to—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member will resume his seat immediately. If you had made the second point the first time, you would have been in order and you ought to know that. The Treasurer has the call.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
The good news for Labor is that the future is here. They are going back to the future and getting the member for Lilley to do the numbers. I would urge the shadow Treasurer to speak to someone who got it wrong before as he is getting it wrong now. (Time expired)
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
2:57 pm
My question is to the Treasurer. Yesterday, ABS data showed wages growth at record lows and below government forecasts. Can the Treasurer advise what the impact would be on the budget bottom line if the Treasurer's wage forecasts drop by even 0.5 per cent?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Members:
Government members interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
I am going to continue to give the call to the member for McMahon. I did not see the member for Petrie on his feet, for which I apologise, but the member for McMahon has the call.
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
Madam Speaker, I have asked my question but I am happy to repeat it if you like. Yesterday ABS data showed wages growth at record—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member will resume his seat. The member for Bass, on a point of order?
Andrew Nikolic Bass, Liberal Party
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During the Treasurer's eloquent reply the member for Lilley, on four occasions, called the Treasurer an unparliamentary name. I ask him to withdraw.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Lilley would assist the House if he would withdraw.
Wayne Swan Lilley, Australian Labor Party
I am not going to withdraw, Madam Speaker, because the Treasurer is a liar.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Lilley will leave under 94(a) for one hour.
The member for Lilley then left the chamber.
Honourable members interjecting—
There will be silence on both sides of the House. The member for Chisholm has a point of order.
Ms Anna Burke Chisholm, Australian Labor Party
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Twice during question time yesterday, in an answer to a question, the Prime Minister used that same word and was not asked to withdraw on either occasion. Is the word unparliamentary or not?
Honourable members interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
There will be silence! In answer to the question from the member for Chisholm: if someone accuses someone of being a liar, that is totally and utterly unparliamentary. The gerund or the noun can otherwise be used. But you will also notice that in the course of question time yesterday I had cause to ask the Prime Minister to withdraw the use of the word in a different grammatical form and he did. However, what is beyond any doubt is that to accuse anyone in this chamber of being a liar is totally and utterly unparliamentary, and that is why the member for Lilley is no longer in the chamber.
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
3:00 pm
My question is to the Treasurer. Yesterday, ABS data showed wages growth at record lows and below government forecasts. Can the Treasurer advise the House what the impact would be on the budget bottom line if the Treasurer's wages forecast dropped by even 0.5 per cent?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
I am going to say that that question is a hypothetical and not in order.