Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. How is the Albanese Labor government's budget strategy right for the times? How does this approach help address what the government inherited?

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

Thank you to the member for Gilmore for her question and for the dedicated way that she represents that beautiful community of hers on the South Coast of New South Wales. We understand that Australians are under pressure, we know that our economy is slowing and we know that the global environment is volatile. That's why we're rolling out cost-of-living help. It's why we recognise that there is more work to do to clean up the mess that we inherited and build the kind of economy that our people need and deserve.

One of the reasons those opposite don't ask me any questions about the economy is that, under them, inflation would be higher, wages would be lower and there would be more debt as well. They don't ask me about the economy because yesterday brought welcome news on wages and today brought welcome news on jobs. They don't ask about the economy or about cost of living because they couldn't care less about the pressures that people are under in our community. They don't ask questions about the economy because they know they left a deficit of $78 billion, which we turned into a surplus of $22 billion.

They don't ask about the economy because they know that gross debt was peaking at 45 per cent under them, and it will be 36 per cent under us. They don't ask because they know that interest costs are $44 billion lower because of our efforts. They don't ask about the economy because inflation, in quarterly terms, was 2.1 per cent under them and it's now 1.2 per cent under us. They don't ask about the economy because average wage growth under them was just over two per cent and now it's around four per cent. They don't ask about the economy because real wages were falling 3.4 per cent under them—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will pause. I want to hear from the Manager of Opposition Business.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question was about 'budget strategy right for the times'. What we have heard is the Treasurer using almost two minutes to simply review the record—in highly misleading terms, I might add—of the previous government.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question did have a component of 'what was inherited'. That is not a reason to compare and contrast the whole answer, so I'm going to ask the Treasurer to contain his remarks to the question without completely going—

David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's going to be a problem, Jim.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of The Nationals, when I am dealing with a point of order, it is highly disorderly to interject. You're warned. The Treasurer has the call.

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

There have been 620,000 jobs created under this government's term in office. Unemployment today is at 3.7 per cent; it was 3.9 per cent when we came to office 18 months ago. The reason I run through these comparisons—and they are factual comparisons, not opinions—is that it shows that the Leader of the Opposition's nasty negativity is no substitute for economic credibility. And we know that because of the wasted decade of division and disappointment and failure on the economy that we saw from those opposite. We are working for Australia, and we are making some progress. More Australians are working. They're earning better wages. We're rolling out cost-of-living help, the budget is in better nick and we're investing in the future as well.

I say to the shadow Treasurer who is interjecting: we will start to take the shadow Treasurer seriously when his tactics committee take them seriously and actually gives him a question—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The standing orders are very clear about not being critical of the character or conduct of a member. You specifically admonished the Treasurer yesterday to be careful with his language, and he is again violating the guidance that you have given.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will cease interjecting. The Leader of the House on the point of order?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To the point of order: if it's not allowed to be critical of anyone's character in any way in this place, then I'm not sure what's been happening in question time all week from the opposition. It's one of those 'be careful what you wish for' points of order if this one gets ruled in.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I remind all members about standing order 90 regarding reflections on members.

The Treasurer! When I'm dealing with a point of order—the Treasurer and the shadow Treasurer, if they really want, can take their conversation outside.

Honourable members interjecting—

We'll move to the next question, quickly.