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

My question is to the Prime Minister. According to his own budget papers, the Prime Minster has: 1) doubled the deficit in the last 12 months, 2) forecast the highest unemployment rate for 14 years, and 3) delivered the highest taxing government since John Howard. Why is the Prime Minister undermining the living standards of Australians now and into the future?

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

As the Treasurer pointed out earlier in question time today, Australia's economic performance just now is better and stronger than any other country in the developed world.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

The member for Jagajaga will desist or leave.

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

On the day after national accounts were released showing 0.9 per cent economic growth in just one quarter—

Mr Conroy interjecting—

Bruce Scott (Maranoa, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Charlton will desist.

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

a five per cent boost in exports in just one quarter, and a five per cent boost in construction in just one quarter, you would think that members opposite would say, 'Well done. Well done to the people of Australia. We might be surprised that the government has turned out to be as good as it has, but well done to the people of Australia.' That is what you would think they would say. But that is not what we are getting. What we are getting from the opposition is the typical chorus of complaint. Do you know why that is? They are disappointed that our country is doing well. They really are. They do not want our country to succeed. Do you know why they do not want our country to succeed? They think that if our country succeeds they might fail.

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

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

The member for Gorton will desist or leave. The choice is his. One more and you leave.

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

They are putting their political interests ahead of our national interest as Australians. That is what is happening right now. We have seen it in question after question today: playing politics on national security and talking down the economy. You just cannot trust members opposite to put the national interest first. I understand there is a television program coming on next week called The Killing Season. And what that program will show, I understand, is a series of people who spent six long years backstabbing each other. Who was the leader of the back stabbers?

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. It is really not the week for him to talk about division in a government.

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

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat.

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

Who was the person who most consistently put his personal interests ahead of the national interest? It was the one who backstabbed two prime ministers. When he was a union secretary in Victoria, he might have been the union organiser for netballers, but in this place he has been someone who has backstabbed two prime ministers. I think that in this parliament people should be able to grow and, to some extent at least, put the past behind them. But what we have seen in this parliament today is an opposition that cannot change and has not learnt. That is what we have seen.