Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister advise the House of the forecast increase in the price of gas and electricity in Western Australia as a result of the government’s new tax on gas?

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

Can I say to the honourable member, who I think comes from the state of Western Australia, that the first responsibility we have as a government is to make sure that we are prosecuting a policy of responsible economic management. Secondly, I would say to the honourable member that if he looks at the national accounts figures released yesterday he will see a solid growth performance for the Australian economy but a particularly solid growth performance in the Western Australian state economy.

The honourable member, I presume, refers to the impact of another tax measure which is being considered by those in the Senate. I presume that is the reference of his question; what in particular he was talking about is somewhat unclear. Can I say to all those opposite: if you are going to prosecute a policy of responsible economic management, it means ensuring that you deliver a responsible surplus outcome. Currently, we have a $6 billion assault on it. I would say to those opposite: you ought to pursue these policies in order to make it possible for the people of Western Australia to enjoy, like other Australians, a decision by the Reserve Bank to bring down interest rates, rather than to see them continue to go up. That, I would say to all those in Western Australia, is a good way ahead.

The other thing I would say on the question of fuel prices for those in Western Australia is this: those in Western Australia have benefited from a Liberal government decision since 2001 under Premier Richard Court—

Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: I did not ask the Prime Minister about fuel prices; I asked him about gas and electricity prices.

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

The Prime Minister will respond to the question.

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

On the matter that the honourable member just raised, I also draw his attention to what his own leader had to say on 20 August. He said, ‘I’m advised in part that the change in excise referred to is not likely to have any impact on domestic gas prices.’

Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, that is not what I said.

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

So says the Australian Financial Review. Is anyone up there in the press gallery saying they got it wrong? Let us find out.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Well, the Leader of the Liberal Party should be careful about what he says. Obviously, he has come under attack from his Western Australian Liberal colleagues for that statement and he is trying to wriggle out from under it. It is there in black and white. I have not heard—

Wilson Tuckey (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order on relevance. The people of Western Australia want to know: are their gas prices going up?

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

The Prime Minister is responding to the question.

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

As we know, the tax measure being considered in the Senate at the moment is a tax on condensate. Again, I draw the attention of those opposite, including the honourable member, to their leader’s own statement on 20 August. He said:

I am advised in part it—

the change in excise—

is not likely to have any impact on domestic gas prices.

I know it is a politically uncomfortable message for the honourable member, particularly on this day, that his own leader does not adhere to the political script that he desires. I know that is politically uncomfortable—

Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The question to the Prime Minister is for the Prime Minister to guarantee this will not increase the price of gas.

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

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. He has not characterised the nature of the question properly.

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

The more the Leader of the Liberal Party protests this day, the more we know the Leader of the Liberal Party is in terminal trouble. We had the Nelson doctrine on interest rates earlier this week: what he says on interest rates as Leader of the Opposition is not what he will do on interest rates as Prime Minister. We have had the Nelson doctrine on climate change, which is that he does not accept there is any connection between climate change and inflow of water.

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

The Prime Minister will bring his answer to a conclusion.

Opposition Member:

Opposition member interjecting—

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

Order! I have actually asked the Prime Minister to bring his answer to a conclusion, which I hope will be very rapid.

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

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Again we have the Nelson doctrine when it comes to the impact on gas prices in WA. One thing is said in this place—

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

The Prime Minister will get to the end of his answer.

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

and another thing elsewhere. I would suggest that those opposite develop a clear political and policy script for the nation’s future.

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat.

Sid Sidebottom (Braddon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Sidebottom interjecting

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

Order! I will give the member for Braddon the opportunity to go and throw wheat to chooks in a minute.