House debates

Wednesday, 3 September 2014

Questions without Notice

Abbott Government

3:01 pm

Photo of Bill ShortenBill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister.

Mr Randall interjecting

Sorry, did I get the call or not, Speaker?

Photo of Mrs Bronwyn BishopMrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

I beg your pardon.

Photo of Bill ShortenBill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

I thought I got the call.

Photo of Mrs Bronwyn BishopMrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

We will have two from that side next time.

Honourable members interjecting

Photo of Bill ShortenBill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

I am sorry. If Don needs to ask his question, it doesn't worry me. But anyway, my question is to the Prime Minister. Before the election—

Photo of Mrs Bronwyn BishopMrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Was the Leader of the Opposition offering to let the member for Canning ask his question?

Photo of Bill ShortenBill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

No.

Photo of Mrs Bronwyn BishopMrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

You have the call, Leader of the Opposition.

Photo of Bill ShortenBill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister.

Government members interjecting

Madam Speaker, the hubbub from the rabble opposite!

Photo of Mrs Bronwyn BishopMrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Members on my right will desist.

Mr Pyne interjecting

The Leader of the House will desist.

Photo of Bill ShortenBill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Before the election one year ago, the Prime Minister promised: no cuts to health, no cuts to education, no changes to pensions, no cuts to higher education and no adverse changes to superannuation. Given that the Prime Minister has broken every one of those promises, how can Australians ever trust this Prime Minister again?

3:02 pm

Photo of Tony AbbottTony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

Yet again, the Leader of the Opposition is simply dead wrong. Every year, government funding in the areas that he mentions goes up: hospitals, up nine per cent this year, nine per cent next year, nine per cent the year after that, and six per cent in the final year—

Dr Chalmers interjecting

Photo of Mrs Bronwyn BishopMrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Rankin!

Photo of Tony AbbottTony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

Schools: up nine per cent this year, nine per cent next year, nine per cent the year after that, and six per cent in the final year—

Ms King interjecting

Photo of Mrs Bronwyn BishopMrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Ballarat!

Mr Burke interjecting

The member for Watson!

Photo of Tony AbbottTony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

So what we have is an opposition that is mired in this culture of irrelevant complaint. They complain that we do not keep promises. They complain even louder when we do keep promises. All they ever do is complain. They are just the national complaints bureau; they are simply irrelevant. The Leader of the Opposition has dealt the Labor Party out of the national conversation, out of a constructive contribution to our national life. We will deal with the parliament, including the crossbench, that the people elected and with the people who are prepared to deal with us. That is what people expect and that is what we intend to do.

Photo of Mrs Bronwyn BishopMrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

I call the honourable member for Canning, and I apologise for missing him earlier.