Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the shadow Treasurer for his question. Clearly what he is putting to the parliament is not well believed by the opposition backbench, given how keen they are to keep investing in resources companies. The opposition backbench apparently pays as much attention to the economic advice from the shadow Treasurer as the rest of Australia—which is absolutely none.

The shadow Treasurer, in line with the usual negativity of the opposition, has come in here now trying to talk down the Australian economy and share prices, apparently because of the minerals resource rent tax and carbon pricing. Let's actually go through the facts. The opposition, on some days, comes into this parliament and says, 'You know, the problem with the minerals resource rent tax is it's going to be so big it will be the end of the minerals industry.' Then on other days it comes in here—

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