House debates Questions without Notice
Superannuation
Jenny Macklin Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments
2:22 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister and follows his last answer. The leader of the Greens, Richard Di Natale, says that superannuation tax concessions are on the table as part of a deal to cut up to $8,000 from part pensioners. Prime Minister, is that the case?
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:23 pm
No, it is not. I have been asked about deals with the Greens. What I would invite the Leader of the Opposition to do is to guarantee that the Labor Party will never again enter a minority government with the support of the Greens. It is a very fair question.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. You have frequently counselled the opposition that, if there is argument in a question, it opens it up. There is no argument in this question, and there is no way that where the Prime Minister is now going is directly relevant.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I think that following on my clear commitment never to do a deal with the Greens to enter a minority government—
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Prime Minister is addressing the question of an agreement.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
the Leader of the Opposition should be required, if not today, at least by gentlemen in the gallery, to indicate that under his leadership Labor would never, ever enter into a deal with the Greens to form a minority government. I want to make it absolutely crystal clear that while we are extending the time for submissions to the tax white paper—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The Prime Minister will resume his seat. We will have some silence. The honourable member for Isaacs, on a point of order. We have already had relevance.
Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Prime Minister answered this question in his first sentence. The answer was, 'no'. He is wilfully disregarding—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member will resume his seat. The member for Isaacs is abusing the standing orders. He ought to know better. The Prime Minister has the call.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
We have agreed to extend the closing date for submissions to the tax white paper process for six weeks. Obviously, we welcome further submissions to the tax white paper process. I suspect that, as originally intended by the tax white paper process—
Ms Owens interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
some of those submissions will be on retirement incomes.
Mr Champion interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
That is perfectly fair and reasonable. I suspect that many of those submissions will say, 'Whatever you do, don't increase taxes on superannuation. Whatever you do, don't make superannuation more restrictive.' I will be able to say that this government will never do that. We are not going to increase taxes on superannuation. We are not going to make superannuation more restrictive. I tell you what we are going to do: we are going to give pensioners with modest assets a much better deal. That is what we are going to do. 170,000 pensioners with modest assets will be $30 a fortnight better off under this government thanks to the agreement we have with the Australian Greens. Would that Labor were so responsible. Would that they were not so determined to be wreckers—not just wreckers of legislation but wreckers of the lives of those 170,000 poor people who will have their $30 a fortnight ripped off them by this individual if he ever gets to be the Prime Minister of our country.