Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment. I refer to Darwin City Council's statement that all Darwin ratepayers will see a refund of $29.67 by means of a grant in their rates notice later this month. Will the minister inform the House of the benefits to local government, families and businesses of the repeal of the carbon tax? Are there any threats to these savings?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Solomon. It is true that in addition to the $234 which families will receive from Power and Water Corporation in Darwin following the abolition of the carbon tax and the average $761 which, according to Power and Water Corporation, small businesses owners in Darwin will receive following the abolition of the carbon tax, there are also benefits to council ratepayers not just in Darwin but around Australia. In Darwin, though, there is an immediate $29 benefit, which is being paid back. Beyond that, Darwin City Council has said there will be a reduction in landfill charges of $20 a tonne going forward for every deposit made.

It is more than just Darwin. Remember, these are reductions which the ALP wants to reverse at the next election. In the electorate of Bowman, the Redland City Council landfill charge has already been reduced by $15.85 per tonne and there has been a refund to every ratepayer of $38.48. Labor wants to take those charges away and add them at the next election. In Logan, in the electorate of the member for Forde, we are seeing a refund of $800,000 to ratepayers. It is not just in coalition electorates that this is happening. Maitland council, in the electorate of the member for Hunter, has already provided a $29.45 domestic waste rebate to residents and a $38.50 per tonne landfill charge reduction. In the City of Glen Eira, the member for Hotham may be interested to know, there is a $37 rebate to residents of her electorate. The member for Melbourne Ports also has constituents within Glen Eira. Those opposite all want to reverse these rebates. Every one of them wants to reverse the savings. We have been talking about the electricity and gas savings that have gone to consumers. The Leader of the Opposition told us none of these rebates would occur. They have all occurred. We see that in councils now, right around the country, the reductions which they said would never occur are occurring.

Ms Collins interjecting—

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

The member for Franklin will desist.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What we see when we go to the Wyong Shire Council is $27.60 per tonne for landfill and $22 for a domestic waste. What is the answer here? There is a threat to each and every one of these savings and that is the re-election of an ALP government. We stand for lower electricity, gas and waste charges. They want higher charges.

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, you have been very kind to me and I thank you for that as well! I wish to make a personal explanation.

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

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do, indeed.

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

Please proceed.

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

During question time, the Minister for Agriculture claimed that I had only asked him one question in the 44th parliament and that the opposition has only asked him two questions. In this parliament, there has been six questions to the minister from the non-government benches, including three from me. Unfortunately, not one of them has been answered adequately.

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

The last bit is not part of the personal explanation, but he got away with it anyway. I call the Minister for Agriculture.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

None of them made any sense!

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. On what basis was the Minister for Agriculture given the call? Was that or was that not an entire abuse of the parliamentary process? It is far worse than my send off yesterday!

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

I am afraid that the words muttered by the Minister for Agriculture matched the last words of your personal explanation, which up until that point was perfect.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.