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

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. Why does the government's $36 million carbon tax advertising campaign not actually mention the carbon tax?

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

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for that question, because I would have thought that anyone who has been listening to the debate in this country over the last five years knows that we are having a carbon price. I can well understand how sensitive he is about the assistance that we are providing to families through our carbon price assistance package, the clean energy package. I can see why he is so sensitive about the fact that we are providing additional assistance to pensioners, I can see why he is so sensitive about the fact that we are providing additional assistance to families and I can see why he is so, if you like, sensitive to the fact that we are providing assistance to trade-exposed industries. We make no apology whatsoever for providing this assistance to Australian families, because when there are deposits in their bank accounts they do need to know why they are there and where they came from. So he is very sensitive about this, but we are providing assistance to households and assistance to industry. That is how it should be as we make the transition to a cleaner carbon economy. We are putting in place a clean energy package because we understand that in the 21st century no first-class First World economy can be powered by anything other than clean energy and more efficient energy practices. That is why we are proud of the assistance we are providing.

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

I have a supplementary question to the Acting Prime Minister. Could the Acting Prime Minister please inform the House and the Australian people what it actually is that this compensation is being paid for?

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

We have been talking about this day in, day out, but I am happy to go through all of the elements of the clean energy package. We are providing assistance to families who will be affected by price rises of 0.7 per cent. We are providing that assistance for—

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

Madam Deputy Speaker, I rise on a point of order on direct relevance. The Acting Prime Minister should be able to bring himself to mention the carbon tax, surely—that which cannot speak its name.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. He is abusing the point of order.

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

Certainly. The carbon price will have an impact on the overall price level in the economy. We are proud of the fact that we are providing assistance to nine in 10 households. Almost six million households will get tax cuts or increased payments that cover their entire average price impact; over four million Australian households will get an extra buffer; and, of course, we have the tripling of the tax-free threshold, something that those opposite want to take away—which will be a very substantial tax increase if they ever have the chance of abolishing that very important reform, which gives substantial tax relief to low-income earners in our community. So we are providing assistance. We are proud of the fact. That is as it should be, and that is how we will put in place a carbon price that will drive increased investment in renewable energy.