House debates

Tuesday, 21 March 2023

Questions without Notice

Cost of Living

2:00 pm

Photo of Peter DuttonPeter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

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?

Photo of Milton DickMilton Dick (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

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.

2:01 pm

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

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

Photo of Peter DuttonPeter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

Does your word mean anything at all?

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

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

Photo of Milton DickMilton Dick (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

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.

Photo of Peter DuttonPeter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on relevance. All I interjected was: can anybody trust a word this man says?

Photo of Milton DickMilton Dick (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

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.

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

What we've just seen is one question asked by the Leader of the Opposition.

Photo of Milton DickMilton Dick (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting.

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

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.

Photo of Milton DickMilton Dick (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! The Prime Minister will pause.

Opposition members interjecting

When members on my left cease interjecting, I will hear from the member for McPherson.

Photo of Karen AndrewsKaren Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | | Hansard source

I did absolutely say that, so now maybe he can move on and answer the question—

Photo of Milton DickMilton Dick (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

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.

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

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)