Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. I refer to his previous answers in this House and to this report in today's Financial Review headlined 'Liberal MP backs inheritance taxes'. Now that the Treasurer's desperate scare campaign has blown up in his face, will he stop spending his day poring over speeches from more than 30 years ago, stop trawling his opponents' websites, abandon his unhinged scare campaigns and just do his job for once?

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the 12th man of politics, the shadow Treasurer! Thank you, Conrad.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton is warned.

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Mackellar has said he has never supported inheritance tax. But it's not something the Leader of the Opposition could ever say. It's not something the Leader of the Opposition could ever say, because this is what the Leader of the Opposition, the alternative Prime Minister of Australia, has said.

I am pleased to move this resolution, calling upon the government to consider the imposition of an inheritance tax.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will resume his seat. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is on the basis of relevance. The question didn't ask for alternative approaches.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't have a copy of the transcript of the question, but the Treasurer was asked about alternative taxes and whether they have worked or not and whether he would abandon a scare campaign. The question is very broad. I'll ask the Treasurer to remain as relevant to the question as possible, but it is a very broad question. The Treasurer has the call.

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. We know that the Leader of the Opposition has never delivered a budget; he's never held a Treasury portfolio, but someone, to his great credit, has tabled his high school essay. But the reality is the Leader of the Opposition, the alternative Prime Minister himself, has supported death duties, supported an inheritance tax. Even as a shadow minister, the Leader of the Opposition has supported wealth taxes and has said that Australia should get its priorities back in balance. The Leader of the Opposition has—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) | Link to this | Hansard source

On disorderly conduct: I just want to clarify: is the reason you're saying this is in order that the question referred to his unhinged scare campaign and as long as he gives another unhinged scare campaign he's being relevant to the question?

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not an appropriate point of order. The Manager of Opposition Business knows that's not an appropriate point of order. The Treasurer has the call.

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition wants the Australian people to forget his own words. He wants the Australian people to forget his own words. He wants to be a small target to sneak into government. Well, we've got news for him: when you are running to be the Prime Minister of Australia, the Australian people deserve to know what you have stood for. Despite protests that you no longer stand for those things, the fact is you have said those things. Oh no.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, it goes to disorderly conduct. It is not in order for a minister to stand at the dispatch box and give a three-minute attack based upon goodness knows what when the question was about today's front page.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

Leader of the will resume his seat. I'll just say this: these things go both ways and, depending on how a question is phrased, that will or may elicit a certain response, so it's a double-edged sword. The Treasurer has the call.

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) | Link to this | Hansard source

This is the Leader of the Opposition who has never delivered a budget, who has never held a Treasury portfolio and who thinks his credentials to be the Prime Minister of Australia are a high school economics essay. The reality is that he has said on the public record that he supports death duties, and he went to the last election supporting a retirees tax, a housing tax, higher taxes on super, higher taxes on income and a family business tax. The Leader of the Opposition stands for higher taxes. We on this side of that House stand for lower taxes and have delivered exactly that to the Australian people. (Time expired)

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for McEwen is warned.