Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline the importance of repealing the mining tax? What would repealing the mining tax mean for jobs and growth in Western Australia?

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Cowan for the question. He cares about the economy, and that is why he asked a question on the economy.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be silence on my left!

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He is absolutely right because the mining tax represents a huge, sovereign risk impost on the Australian economy. Western Australia exported $83 billion of resources last year. The carbon tax and the mining tax have a very real negative impact on the people of Western Australia. The coalition are absolutely determined to get rid of the carbon tax. We said that before the election and we mean to do it after the election, and we are trying to do it after the election. We are entirely consistent. With the mining tax, we said before the election we wanted to get rid of it. So we are trying to get rid of it after the election. The problem is the Labor Party are being inconsistent. The only consistent thing about the Labor Party is their partnership with the Greens. They keep saying to the Australian people, 'We're two different parties.' I went back to my little book.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It would appear that the Treasurer was on the point of using a prop, but more to the point—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat, and he is getting very close to vexatious. There was no point of order. I would advise the member that if he is not going to raise points of order correctly then I do not have to acknowledge them either.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know what a prop is. This is no prop. We have played prop, this is not a prop.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will not try my patience.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is fantastic. This is Chris Bowen's Hearts and Minds: A Blueprint for Modern Labor. As I said, the only consistent thing from the Labor Party is its partnership with the Greens. So I quote from the book:

Labor and the Greens are not different shades on the same continuum; we are different parties that believe in different things. People need to be very clear in their understanding: if you vote Labor, you will not get Greens policies.

I want to pay tribute to the member for Perth. I want to pay tribute to the member for Perth, the shadow parliamentary secretary for Western Australia. She said today, 'I think there is a perception that the mining tax was not a good tax for Western Australia. I think that is true.' Come over, come over to the coalition. We might just have you on this side. Come over, come over to the coalition, because at least there is one person in the Labor Party who is prepared to be fair dinkum with the people of Western Australia. Except the problem is that the Labor Party and the Greens work against the interests of the people of Western Australia, and no-one does that more than the member for Perth.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam speaker, could I ask the Treasurer to table the very well-written book he was quoting, which is available at all good book stores.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This belongs to the Parliamentary Library. If I table it, I may be in danger of doubling its distribution.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will have silence. This is a serious business we have here. I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.