House debates

Wednesday, 24 February 2021

Questions without Notice

Coalition Government

2:07 pm

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that the government has lost its majority on the floor of the House and, for confidence, now depends on the vote of a crossbench conspiracy theorist who's pushing discredited and dangerous treatments during a health pandemic?

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The first part of the question is in order. The Prime Minister has the call.

Photo of Scott MorrisonScott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

What I know is that there are more of us on this side than there are of them on that side. Do you know who made that decision? The Australian people. At the last election, the Australian people rejected the Labor Party to become the government of this country—

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order?

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

On a point of order, Mr Speaker: there are actually 75 there and 75 here. The question went to—

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.

Government members interjecting

Members on my right will cease interjecting.

Mr Littleproud interjecting

Mr Frydenberg interjecting

The minister for agriculture and the Treasurer will cease interjecting. The Prime Minister has the call.

Photo of Scott MorrisonScott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

At the last election, the Australian people rejected the Labor Party to govern this country and to control this chamber. They rejected that, the Australian people. I know that the members of this chamber understand that, even if the Leader of the Opposition still can't come to terms with the fact that, at the last election, they said no to their $375 billion and more of higher taxes—

Photo of Josh FrydenbergJosh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

$387 billion.

Photo of Scott MorrisonScott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

$387 billion, I'm corrected by the Treasurer. It was higher than that. They rejected their phony class war. They rejected their poor fiscal management credentials and they said, 'We do not want the Labor Party to run this country.'

So, each and every day, from that election until now, we have held faith with the promise that we made to the Australian people and that they backed us on at the last election, and we will continue to do that. But if the Leader of the Opposition wants to test the issue that he seems to so boldly, with his back turned to me now, puff out his chest on today, and if he thinks he has control of this House, I invite him to move the relevant motion or stop showing off.