Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Urban Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. Does the minister want petrol prices in Australia to go up or down?

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

The word ‘want’ means that the question is seeking an expression of an opinion. I give the member for Flinders the opportunity to put the question in order by rephrasing it.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Urban Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is it the minister’s policy position that increased petrol prices will lead to a desirable environmental outcome?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That question is still out of order. I suggest that he be given a third go.

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I think that the question is out of order, but I do not propose to make any more mention of your ruling.

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

That is a very good point of view.

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for trying to ask this question a second time. I infer from it that the member thinks that the government’s policy or my views are somehow intended to be a vote of confidence for the increase in petrol prices. I want to ask this of the shadow minister: is this the best question that he can come up with? Why isn’t he asking me a question about the environment? Furthermore, why isn’t he asking a question about climate change? If he wants to ask a question—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! When the House comes to order we can continue. The minister has the call.

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, those opposite have run out of substantial questions to ask. I refer to the shadow minister’s question and say the following: in relation to the matters that any government would want to bring forward to deal with the question of petrol prices, this government has delivered. That is the first thing I would say. The second thing I would say is: in the absence of any concrete policy being advanced by the opposition on the wider matters of what likely costs or otherwise there may be in dealing with matters of climate change or the environment, you have had nothing to add to this point in time. You have just wasted your question.