Anne Urquhart Tasmania, Australian Labor Party
2:48 pm
My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. Can the minister confirm that no minister has raised the unfairness of the budget with him?
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance
I thank Senator Urquhart for this question. What senators on this side of the chamber keep raising with me is the unfairness of the debt and deficit legacy that Labor left behind. What people on the coalition side of the parliament keep raising with me is the unfairness of a weakening economy, rising unemployment, a bad and deteriorating budget position, a government living beyond its means, a government legacy left behind by Labor where we are living at the expense of our children and grandchildren. All of us on the coalition side of the parliament are working very hard to strengthen the economy, to create more jobs and to help families, for example, by getting rid of the carbon tax—the disastrous Labor-Green carbon tax. All of us on this side of the chamber are focused on repairing the budget mess that Labor left behind.
Stephen Parry President
Pause the clock. Senator Moore on a point of order?
Claire Moore Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women
My point of order is on direct relevance. It was a very simple question. It was about whether the minister has received comments about the unfairness of the budget. The minister has not mentioned that in his answer as yet.
Stephen Parry President
Senator Moore, the minister has been addressing the question. He did go to the core of the question. He might not necessarily be answering it in the way you would like him to answer it, but he did address the core part of the question. Senator Wong?
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Thank you, Mr President.
Stephen Parry President
Senator Wong, I have ruled on the point of order. I do not think there is anything you can add.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
This is a new standard, Mr President.
Stephen Parry President
I am sorry, Senator Wong, I am not going to accept that. Senator Cormann, you have the call.
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance
All of us on this side of the chamber are very concerned about the unfairness of the budget situation that Labor left behind. Of course, the worst finance minister in the history of the Commonwealth is none other than Senator Wong. It is Senator Wong that put Australia on a trajectory where we are borrowing from our children and grandchildren and locking in massive increases in expenditure, in legislation, in the period beyond—
Stephen Parry President
Pause the clock. A point of order, Senator Wong?
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Thank you, Mr President. The question was very simple: can the minister confirm that no minister has raised the unfairness of the budget with him? It is based on the minister's own public statements. He is not addressing the question. With respect, Mr President, deciding to answer a different question is not direct relevance.
Stephen Parry President
I am sorry, Senator Wong. I cannot determine in what context the question was asked. I can only determine, a question is asked—
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
He said on national television—
Stephen Parry President
Senator Wong, you have raised a point of order and you are now ignoring my response.
Ian Macdonald Queensland, Liberal Party
Throw her out!
Senator Colbeck interjecting—
Stephen Parry President
Senator Macdonald and Senator Colbeck, it does not assist. A question was asked. The minister has gone directly to the core of the question in his response. I can only listen to the question and listen to the answer. He has spoken about the unfairness—
Senator Wong interjecting—
I am not going to entertain a debate about this, Senator Wong.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
I have a question for the President.
John Williams NSW, National Party
2:59 pm
Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate of any threats to the continuation of this important protection for consumers?
Mitch Fifield Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services
Registrations are currently time limited. Originally, the registration period was set at three years. However, that was extended under the previous government. The registration period now sits at eight years, but the government has recognised that, without regulatory intervention, numbers on the register will begin to expire from May. In response, the government is moving to permit a one-time sign-up for the register, ensuring that all numbers currently registered will remain protected from invasive telemarketing calls. The necessary regulatory changes were included in the telecommunications deregulation bill introduced into the House of Representatives on the coalition government's second repeal day, last October.
John Williams NSW, National Party
3:00 pm
Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate how many Australians will fall off the register and be bombarded by telemarketing calls if the Senate fails to pass this bill?
Mitch Fifield Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services
Failure to pass the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Deregulation) Bill will see the earliest and most enthusiastic supporters of the register, those who signed up first, fall off the register. By the end of May this year, 354,977 numbers on the register will expire. These telephone numbers could once again be bombarded by invasive telemarketing calls. If the passage of the legislation is pushed to midyear, a further 171,430 numbers will drop off the register. The bill to which I referred has been before the House of Representatives since October and has been subject to a thorough Senate inquiry, which was tabled in this place yesterday. I urge my Senate colleagues to protect hundreds of thousands of Australians who value the benefits of the register by ensuring the timely passage of this bill.
Eric Abetz Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment
Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on notice.