Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister’s announcement of a national FuelWatch scheme on 15 April and his statement that the scheme would bring ‘maximum competition policy pressure onto petrol retailers across Australia’. When he made that statement, was the Prime Minister aware of evidence that FuelWatch will in fact be anticompetitive and lead to higher, not lower, prices?

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

I thank the honourable member for his question. On the question of FuelWatch, we have looked carefully at the experience of the Western Australia state Liberal government, who introduced this scheme in 2000 and who continue to support it on a bipartisan basis. We have also taken advice from a range of people about its potential impact at the bowser. We have never overstated it. At the time of its launch we said about 2c on average over time at the bowser. But, as the Assistant Treasurer just said, the critical challenge lies in the ability to provide consumers with information 24 hours before as to where the cheapest petrol can be had in a given area. That is an important piece of information because, as honourable members would know, as you go from the CBD out into the suburbs across metropolitan Australia you can see such a huge variety of fuel prices across the suburban area and within the one day. Therefore, for us it simply makes basic common sense that this helps.

I am surprised, of all members in this place to stick up his head and ask a question about fuel policy, that the member for Wentworth has just done so. If you are trying to find a coherent position on the part of the Liberal Party when it comes to fuel policy and fuel pricing, where do you go? In the ‘yes’ camp on the excise arrangement which they announced on budget reply night we have the Leader of the Opposition, and now in the ‘no’ camp we have—they get very sensitive about this—

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It is not a question of sensitivity; it is a question of relevance. The Prime Minister was not asked alternate views.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat. I call the Prime Minister.

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

It is very difficult to map any consistency on the part of those opposite on any coherent approach to what you do on the question of fuel. In the ‘yes’ camp—that is, on the 5c excise—you have the Leader of the Opposition. You are not sensitive, but we are taking another point of order.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It is a question of relevance.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat. The Prime Minister will return to responding to the question.

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

On the question of fuel policy, the Leader of the Opposition puts forward an approach which deals with excise. We have a range of policies which deal with fuel policy. When it comes to their position, we have the Leader of the Opposition supporting the excise measure. The member for Wentworth now opposes the excise measure, the member for Higgins opposes the excise measure, the member for Mayo opposes the excise measure and, on queue, the member for Flinders comes in on the excise measure, opposed to it as well. It is quite interesting. I think their policy is in complete disarray.