Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party, Deputy Chairman , Coalition Policy Development Committee) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. I refer the Treasurer to the Commonwealth's assurance to Western Australia that it would direct the Grants Commission not to reduce Western Australia's GST by more than any additional royalty revenue. Why was this assurance blacked out in correspondence between the Western Australian Under Treasurer and the Commonwealth Secretary to the Treasury that was released under freedom of information?

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. The commentary in that particular letter related to Pilbara fines; it did not relate to fines in general.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is just a fact. Of course, those opposite want to ignore all of the facts here, because they are acutely embarrassed by the fact that the premier of Western Australia has misled Western Australians and the Australian people on eight separate occasions. The letter he is talking about is one that refers to a change in the royalty rates for fines in the Pilbara, which is a completely separate matter from what the premier did in his most recent budget. That is something they have deliberately confused all the way through this debate. He asked why it was blacked out. It is not a decision that I took; it is a decision taken by the decision maker in the department.

But what is this all about? This is all about the fact that those opposite do not have an alternative economic policy and they are acutely embarrassed about their incapacity to put one forward.

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

The minister will resume his place. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This cannot be on relevance!

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Of course it is.

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You have got to be joking.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not joking.

Mr Crean interjecting—

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

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his place. The minister for regional Australia will withdraw.

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw, Mr Speaker.

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

I thank the minister. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, the Treasurer was asked a question that did not contain any argument or any debate. He is now straying well from a directly relevant answer.

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

The member for Sturt will resume his seat. The Treasurer should be very careful not to stray much further from the question. He is now required to be directly relevant, not just relevant, to the question. The Treasurer has the call.

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There has been a misleading campaign from those opposite to mix up a whole lot of separate issues. In the case of this minute, the minute was referring to changes that would take place in the Pilbara regarding fines, which is entirely separate from the case they have been prosecuting in this House both yesterday and today. It is entirely separate from the recent decision taken by the premier of Western Australia in his most recent budget, which, on eight occasions, he told the Australian people and the Western Australian people that he would not do, and in correspondence with the Grants Commission he said he would not do it because it was a sovereign risk. So he is saying one thing to the Australian people and apparently doing another, which is exactly what those in this House are doing as well, and continue to do.

The reason they are engaged in this political behaviour and this negative, mud-slinging campaign against me and the government is that they are acutely embarrassed. They do not have an alternative economic policy. They could not put one up in this House a couple of weeks ago. The shadow Treasurer had a shocker at the Press Club and they are acutely embarrassed by their incompetence.