Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware that Bradken Foundry employs 500 people in the electorate of Moreton and will face a carbon tax bill of $340,000 each year based on the government's own figures? How does the Prime Minister expect this company, which has been operating in Australia since 1920, to remain competitive and to continue to invest in Australia while they are paying the world's biggest carbon tax?

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

I thank the member for his question and I ask him why he is opposed to that business getting a tax cut and why he will exercise his vote in this parliament to deny that business a tax cut. If he is so concerned about these foundry workers, if he is so concerned about a business that has been in operation since 1920, why will he come into this parliament and vote against it getting a tax cut? That is what he is intending to do. Why is he going to exercise his vote in favour of Clive Palmer and Gina Rinehart rather than that business?

On the question of carbon pricing, as the member may be aware, although perhaps he has been too caught up in the fear campaign to worry about the fact, there is a program to work with businesses—particularly with foundry businesses—to support them in the transition to a clean energy future. I am sure that the member for Moreton will be working with that business and other businesses in his electorate so that they understand the way in which that assistance is available to them. As the member for Moreton goes about his electorate having those discussions, he will be able to walk into that business, he will be able to walk into small businesses and he will be able to walk down the business streets in his electorate saying that he stands for a company tax cut for those businesses and that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stop that tax cut ever getting through.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister apologise to the 500 workers at Bradken and to everyone else whose job is less safe because of the carbon tax for saying before the election, 'There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead,' and breaking that promise within a few weeks to save her political skin?

The SPEAKER: I rule the supplementary question out of order.