Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker—Madam Deputy Speaker—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

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

The Leader of the Nationals has the call, and the Leader of the House will let him get his question out.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. My question is to the Prime Minister. Why should the Australian people trust the Prime Minister on anything, given her solemn pledge six days before the last election, 'There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead'?

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

I say to the Leader of the Nationals: why should Australians pay a $1,300 impost per family because of the carbon pricing scheme of the Leader of the Opposition? Why should Australian families have their increased family payments ripped out of their hands and given to Liberal Party mates like Clive Palmer? Why should Australians see $70 billion slashed out of the health and education services that families rely on? Why should Australians see—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There was absolutely no leeway in that question under the direct relevance rules. For her to be talking about opposition policy issues—

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

The member for Mackellar will resume her seat.

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

I was really asked a very broadly phrased question, and I am explaining to the House. Why should Australians put up with $70 billion being taken out of health and education and payments to families? Why should Australians have to put up with tax being increased on Australian families by the shadow Treasurer, a plan he has so clearly revealed?

The Leader of the Opposition comes into this place day after day with his scare campaign, but let me assure the House of this: there is one side of politics, one Prime Minister, that you can trust to run the economy in the interests of working people. There is one side of politics you can trust to always put the interests of a privileged few before the interests of the many. If you want a government that is going to put Gina's interests first then the Leader of the Opposition is your man. If you want a government that is going to work with Australian families to alleviate cost of living pressures through a schoolkids bonus, for example, that is opposed by the Leader of the Opposition. If you want someone who is going to vote against supporting jobs, standing by steelworkers and standing by car workers—then the Leader of the Opposition is your man.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy President, I rise on a point of order.

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

Order! The member for Mackellar has taken one point of order already on the question. There is only one point of order allowed under the—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is not on relevance.

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

If it is not on relevance, the member for Mackellar has the call.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much. I refer you, Madam Deputy Speaker, to page 527 of the House of Representatives Practice, where it is stated that question time is a time of political impact, of opportunity to give members the opportunity to hear satisfactory answers to their questions.

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

Order! The member for Mackellar will resume her seat. If there are rhetorical questions, there may be rhetorical answers. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker. As I was saying, the government will always prioritise the jobs of Australian working people. We will always prioritise supporting Australian families. We will always prioritise building the economy we need for the future through clean energy, through sharing the proceeds of the mining boom and through investing in education and infrastructure, including the National Broadband Network. The Leader of the Opposition has made it abundantly clear to the Australian people that he will always put the interests of Liberal Party mates and a privileged few before the interests of working people. That is the contest in Australian politics, that is the divide in this parliament, and we are a government very proud to run the economy in the interests of working Australians.