Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Payne. I refer to the article in this morning's Daily Telegraph entitled 'NSW Libs' ScoNo!'. A senior Liberal minister says in the article, 'We should buy Scott Morrison a ticket to Siberia.' Can the minister update the Senate on the preparations for the Prime Minister to visit Siberia during the New South Wales election campaign?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It must be hugely diverting to be a New South Wales Labor senator, because you obviously don't have a great deal to do with your time and you can ask questions of the foreign minister which have nothing to do with their portfolio responsibilities. So I presume that I can respond in kind. I presume that that is the threshold which Senator Cameron has set. So let's talk about Mr Morrison and the message that Mr Morrison will deliver to the Australian community in the coming weeks and months, working up to the budget that he has announced for April of next year. He will advise the Australian community that Australia's economy is growing at 3.4 per cent, more strongly than at any time since 2012, which was, of course, during the height of the mining boom. He'll advise Australians that the economy is growing at a stronger rate than the world's seven largest advanced economies—the USA, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, UK and Japan—and the OECD average. And, because Mr Morrison is from the fine state of New South Wales, he is always welcome in that fine state. He will talk about the commitment which we have kept in relation to ensuring one million new jobs were delivered by this government after 2013, which was delivered ahead of schedule.

Those opposite have no idea how to manage an economy so as to set up a nation to support the sorts of things that we support with our strong economy: small business, the operation of the NDIS and workers in this country that have been completely deserted by those opposite because they're more interested in political games.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll call Senator Cameron when there's silence.

Senator Wong interjecting—

Order, Senator Wong! Senator Wong, I'm asking you to lead by example.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The senior Liberal minister also says, 'There is a freight train coming at the New South Wales government.' Is the government putting Mr Morrison on the Trans-Siberian Railway to divert the freight train barrelling towards the New South Wales government? I think you know who said this.

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would remind Senator Cameron, of course, that there's more than—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Wong on a point of order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd ask Senator Macdonald to withdraw that.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I didn't hear the comment.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A slip of the tongue, Mr President. I said Senator Cameron was in jail, but I just meant his friends were in jail.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald, I ask you to withdraw that.

Senator Wong interjecting—

Order, Senator Wong!

Senator Wong interjecting—

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

Order, Senators Wong and Macdonald! Senator Macdonald, I ask you to withdraw the comment.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! If everyone would just be quiet, I'll be able to have a chance to call the senator to order. Senator Macdonald, I ask you to withdraw the comment.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did! I withdrew the assertion that Senator Cameron was in jail, and I meant to say—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald, resume your seat. It's the end of the year, and after being quiet yesterday it seems like everyone's trying to make it up today.

Honourable senators interjecting—

While I'm speaking I'm going to ask all senators to remain silent. That was a withdrawal. I'll call Senator Payne to answer the question asked by Senator Cameron. It is your turn, Senator Payne.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr President. I'm not going to comment on unsourced claims that might be run or might not run in newspapers. In fact, it gets a little confusing over there. I'm still trying to work out what's happening in Lindsay—whether it's Diane Beamer or Emma Husar. It's very confusing. But that's a matter for you guys. You'll sort that out, I'm sure.

But while I'm talking about Western Sydney, perhaps I could talk about the government's record infrastructure investment. We have a record $75 billion being invested over the next decade in highway upgrades; congestion-busting roads; rail projects, including the Inland Rail; improved local roads and a new airport in Western Sydney, which will be a game changer for the Western Sydney economy and, in fact, for the economy of Australia. The roads investment: Senator Cameron tries to avoid it, but he knows those roads. Northern Road, Bringelly Road, the developments around Elizabeth Drive, the development of the Western Sydney Airport—he knows them all. This government is delivering those, and those opposite are doing nothing. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron, a final supplementary question.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senior New South Wales Liberal ministers are also calling for the Prime Minister to go to Siberia, questioning how much more out of touch his government can get. They're saying that any link to his government is poisonous. Does the foreign minister agree with her New South Wales colleagues?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I absolutely agree with the Prime Minister in relation to what this government is delivering. I've spoken about infrastructure. I've spoken about jobs. I've spoken about the stronger economy. But I could talk about income tax relief as well. I could talk about making income taxes lower, fairer and simpler. Those opposite only want to increase taxes on everything and on everyone. We are making income taxes, as I said, lower, fairer and simpler. In 2018-19, around 4.4 million Australians will get a tax relief of $530 a year, and over 10 million Australians will get some more tax relief as well. It's a plan that we put—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Payne, Senator Cameron is on his feet for a point of order.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My point of order is on relevance. There was one question and that was: does this minister agree with her colleagues in New South Wales who are saying the Prime Minister should go to Siberia?

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There was a lot in that question, Senator Cameron.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think there'd be an enormous amount of enthusiasm in the New South Wales Labor Party for a one-way ticket to Siberia for Senator Macdonald—Senator Cameron!

Opposition senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left! Senator Cameron, is this a point of order?

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A Freudian slip!

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We all do it sometimes.