House debates Questions without Notice
G20 Argentina 2018
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
2:17 pm
My question is to the Treasurer. Why has the Treasurer cancelled, at the last minute, his planned trip to meet with his international counterparts at the G20, the leading forum of the world's major economies?
Josh Frydenberg Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer
As the member for McMahon would know, it's a leaders meeting. It's a leaders meeting—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Josh Frydenberg Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer
and the treasurers and the finance ministers were at the recent meeting in Bali.
Opposition members interjecting—
Josh Frydenberg Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer
We were at the recent meeting in Bali. And the member for McMahon would know—
Opposition members interjecting—
Tony Smith Speaker
The Treasurer will pause for a second. Members on my left will cease interjecting. The Treasurer has the call.
Josh Frydenberg Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer
Thank you. The member for McMahon would know that at the recent G20-IMF-World Bank meeting of finance ministers and treasurers in Bali Australia's economy was revered for its strong economic growth. The IMF, the OECD and the World Bank praised the strong Australian economy—our relatively low levels of debt, our falling taxes, our falling unemployment and our strong economic growth. That is the result of good economic management that the coalition has undertaken over the last five years. And when the Prime Minister—
Ed Husic Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy
I never ever thought you'd be modest!
Josh Frydenberg Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer
represents this country at the G20 over the weekend, the finance minister will be with him. He has been at the last three meetings of the G20—
Ed Husic Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy
You've changed!
Josh Frydenberg Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer
and he and the Prime Minister will be reminding all the other leaders—
Tony Smith Speaker
The Treasurer will pause. The member for Chifley will leave under—
Tony Smith Speaker
The Treasurer will pause. The member for Chifley will leave under—
Tony Smith Speaker
Treasurer, just stop talking for a second. Thank you.
Mr Rob Mitchell interjecting—
The member for Chifley will leave under 94(a). The member for McEwen is warned. The Treasurer has the call.
The member for Chifley then left the chamber.
Josh Frydenberg Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer
As the Prime Minister reminds me, the member for McMahon struggles when it comes to international countries, because he put out a press release, about following Labor's lead and supporting the Varghese report, which said, 'We support increasing trade between Australia and Indonesia.' The only problem was that the Varghese report was about Australia and India. That was nearly as good as the member for Chifley, who thought Africa was a country.
The final thing I would say is the thing about the Prime Minister, his ministers and his government is that, when we go overseas, we talk Australia up. But the member for Fenner, when he writes about Australia overseas, he talks it down. He went and said to the investors of the world, through the New York Times: 'Don't come here and invest in the Australian economy. Don't support regional jobs. Don't support Australia's growth record. Forget about what The Economist has said about how "Aussie rules the world" and "Australia rules the world". Forget all about that,' because they want to talk down the Australian economy, whereas the Liberal and National parties talk Australia up and we have a proud record on which to do so.
Tony Smith Speaker
The member for McMahon—what's the member for Fenner doing? The member for McMahon is seeking to table a document?
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
I am, Mr Speaker. I seek leave to table the transcript of the Treasurer on 9 November, talking about the important issues he would be discussing with his finance colleagues at the G20.
Tony Smith Speaker
The member for McMahon will resume his seat. I'm not even going to ask whether leave is granted. It is a public document. The member for Fenner is seeking to table a document?
Andrew Leigh Fenner, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer
I seek leave to table an article by the member for Kooyong, published on the UK Spectator website—
Tony Smith Speaker
The member for Fenner will resume his seat.
Honourable members interjecting—
It's called getting warned. The member for Kennedy.