Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. I refer to the comments by the Premier of Victoria, Mr Napthine, on the Abbott government's petrol tax ambush. He says:

This is a situation where any increase in the cost for fuel for Victorian families and Victorian business will hurt those families and businesses …

He also says:

… these sorts of things should go through the proper parliamentary processes.

Does the minister agree with the Premier of Victoria?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Of course, I support the Premier of Victoria, and everybody on this side hopes that he gets re-elected in the state election that will be occurring next month. The Premier of Victoria has shown the sort of leadership that this country so desperately needs. Premier Napthine is in juxtaposition to the Leader of the Opposition over there who is in lockstep with the CFMEU. So, do I support the Premier of Victoria? Yes, I do.

In relation to the issue of fuel tax, I fully agree with Premier Napthine that these matters should go through the proper parliamentary processes because that is exactly what is happening. If the honourable senator asserts that this is not going through the proper parliamentary processes, she might like to cast her mind back to what Labor did with the alcopops tax. It is exactly the same process, and it will allow the parliament to have a say and determine whether or not they will ultimately support this proposal. I remind honourable senators opposite that none other than a former Labor cabinet minister who rejoices in the name of Dr Craig Emerson fully supports the indexation of fuel tax. Indeed, former Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating said exactly the same.

Do we as a party that is renowned for lower taxes take any delight in having to take these steps? No, we do not. Why are we taking these steps? It is because of the absolute profligacy of the former finance minister that now sits here as the Leader of the Opposition, an opposition which bankrupted this nation, and it is because we have to get the budget back into the black. (Time expired)

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Do I take it, Minister, that we just have, like Mr Abbott, pre-election rhetoric on this issue from the Victorian Premier? I also refer to Victorian minister Mr Wells who says that 'the actual facts behind the actual cost to Victorians is most unfortunate'. What is the actual cost to Victorians of the Abbott petrol tax hike?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The people of Victoria—and, indeed, the people of Australia—can make a decision about what the actual cost of Labor has been to them. One thousand million dollars is being borrowed as we speak to pay the interest on the borrowings to date, courtesy of Labor. That is the Labor legacy. In trying to fix that unholy financial mess, we have had to make some tough decisions. The fuel tax, and I am sure the Minister for Finance—

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Senator Moore, do you have a point of order?

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is on direct relevance. We have 26 seconds left in the minister's answer, and we have not got to the direct cost to Victorians of the petrol tax.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister was asked two parts in the question. He has got 26 seconds remaining.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was about to say, in comparison to the $1,000 million a month which is being borrowed to deal with Labor's legacy, we have a 40c a week fuel tax on the average family's use of 50 litres of petrol per week. That is the juxtaposition: 40c from this side, $1,000 million per month from that side. (Time expired)

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Minister, won't Victorian families now have to pay more for petrol each time they go to the bowser as a result of yet another broken promise from this Abbott government?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I reject the broken promise bit. Will Victorian families and, indeed, all Australians have to pay more at the petrol bowser? The answer is yes. The next question is: why? The reason we are doing this is to fix up the mess that Labor bequeathed us. If the Victorian people were to elect a Labor government next month they would be left in the same mess because Labor never learns the lesson of fiscal responsibility and economic responsibility. The Liberal and National parties are the parties of low tax. So we come to this with a very heavy heart. But we do understand the imperative of reducing the indebtedness of our nation. We are willing to tell the people that taxes need to be raised. You defer the taxes by borrowing and expect us to pay it back. We will. We will do the job. (Time expired)