Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Under Labor, Australia is the only advanced economy where living standards have gone backwards. The US, UK, Germany, Canada, France and Denmark have all seen rising living standards whilst ours have reversed. After four years of Australians going backwards, when will the Prime Minister finally accept the buck stops with him?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Dennis Shanahan picked it. He broadcast it this morning. He told us that the Liberals had decided that Wednesday was going to be 'economy day'. They've gone two days without asking a single question on the economy or cost of living. We've had the clown who's the shadow Treasurer singing at the dispatch box, which is a human rights issue for all those who had to listen to it. But the deputy leader was out there this morning—that is, the deputy leader in this House not in the other House, because in the other House the deputy leader isn't even on their tactics committee and not in the leadership group though she's the deputy leader of the Liberal Party. The member for Canning tried to resist the Shanahan push this morning. He said, 'Just because commentators like Dennis Shanahan don't like our question time strategy doesn't mean it's wrong.'

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! Members on my left and right! We are going to bring the House to order. There is far too much noise and interjection. This is question No. 1, so we're going to take the temperature down. The Manager of Opposition Business is now going to take his point of order. Show him the respect he deserves.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It goes to direct relevance. This is question time, not quotation time.

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

Resume your seat.

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives is not helping. The Prime Minister will return to the question.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They always talk Australia down, which has faster economic growth than Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK or the United States. The UK and Germany have recently experienced recessions. Australia has a lower unemployment rate than Canada, France, Italy, the UK and the United States. We have stronger employment growth than Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States and higher participation rates than Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and the UK. And, unlike G7 nations, Australia's budget has been in surplus in recent years along with having the smallest gross debt. That's our record.

I got asked a question about international comparisons to the economy.

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Living standards! Living standards!

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

Order! The Leader of the Opposition has asked his question.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When it comes to living standards, I'll tell those opposite what'll benefit living standards. It's the tax cut we're going to deliver on 1 July, the one that was opposed by those opposite.

The other thing that might just help is the 1.2 million jobs that we have created on our watch since we came to office. It's the best employment record of any advanced economy in the world. That is what we are dealing with. We know there are global challenges behind the economy, but what we're doing is continuing to work each and every day in the interests of Australians.

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

Before we go any further, the member for Forrest and the Leader of the Nationals interjected seven and eight times respectively during that one answer. So I'm going to request their assistance to the House to not interject any more—otherwise, they won't be here for any more questions.