House debates Questions without Notice
Cost of Living
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:00 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister stated before the last election, and I quote: 'If I'm given the great honour of holding high office as Prime Minister, I won't seek to blame anyone else. I'll accept the responsibility that goes with that job.' Will the Prime Minister accept responsibility and admit he has broken his promise to provide cheaper mortgages and to cut power bills by $275 per year, a promise that he made on 97 occasions?
Milton Dick Speaker
The member for Hume! I remind all members not to interject before a minister or the Prime Minister has even begun an answer. If they continue to do that, they will be warned and asked to leave the chamber.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
2:01 pm
Those opposite won't take responsibility for anything that they did when they were in government—nothing. The fact is that there was a price increase for energy scheduled by those opposite. Not only did they not only take responsibility for it; they hid it. They hid it through a special regulation to make sure that the Australian people couldn't find out.
But what others have said about energy is this. The Business Council of Australia—
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
Does your word mean anything at all?
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
Mr Speaker, he's at it again. He was supposed to be nice Peter, but he can't survive to five past two without resorting to the old boofhead.
Opposition members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! The Leader of the Opposition! There's far too much noise on my left. The member for Barker is warned. I will hear from the Leader of the Opposition.
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
Mr Speaker, on relevance. All I interjected was: can anybody trust a word this man says?
Milton Dick Speaker
That is not a point of order. The Prime Minister is in order and will continue with the answer and will be heard in silence.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
What we've just seen is one question asked by the Leader of the Opposition.
Milton Dick Speaker
The Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
In between the interjections from the Leader of the Opposition, he then stands up and asks a different question while speaking about integrity and responsibility and taking into account what people say. He can't keep his word from one minute past two to two minutes past two. That's what we just saw from the Leader of the Opposition.
But I'm asked about responsibility. The shadow minister for home affairs had something to say about responsibility during the week. She was asked about the fact that they not only had one minister sworn into her portfolio; they had another as well, because the member for Cook put in her extra. She said this:
It's not okay to behave in the way that the former prime minister and others have in relation to keeping information secret.
So far, so good.
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! The Prime Minister will pause.
Opposition members interjecting—
When members on my left cease interjecting, I will hear from the member for McPherson.
Karen Andrews McPherson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs
I did absolutely say that, so now maybe he can move on and answer the question—
Milton Dick Speaker
Resume your seat. The member for McPherson is a long-term member of parliament. It's the first question. The Prime Minister is in order. If this behaviour continues, people will be asked to leave the chamber immediately without warning. The Prime Minister has the call.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
She went on to say:
I think it's just extraordinary—
All stacking up so far—the shadow minister is pretty right. Then she said:
However, I think it's very disappointing that this information is coming to light now.
That's what she had to say. Then it comes to the responsibility bit:
And it does reflect very poorly on Prime Minister Albanese.
This Prime Minister appoints not one but two people in her portfolio—and it reflects badly on me! That says everything about your incapacity to take responsibility for anything. (Time expired)