Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

We had earlier today in question time the question of the member for Curtin, the current shadow Treasurer. The question was along the lines of the pass through of official interest rates to customers. It probed deeply the consistency of the government’s position. What I sought to do in response to that question, which has obviously upset the Leader of the Opposition, was to refer him to his statements in the Australian, where he said:

But banks are free to price their products as they wish. After all, they are in the business of making profits ...

That is what he said. What I was seeking to do, I believe effectively, was to contrast that position on the one hand with the highly orchestrated attack—this time within the first 10 questions of question time—by the member for Curtin, the shadow Treasurer. Can I suggest for those opposite that if they are going to have a consistent line of attack on the government, be it on this, be it on bank guarantees or be it on fiscal stimulus, it would be useful if the policy was consistent.

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