Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Flinders from moving the following motion forthwith—That this House requires the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency to come into the Parliament:

(1) to tell the truth and correct his statement that “on road fuel costs are not increasing under the carbon price and in fact off road costs will decrease. Excise is being cut. It will fall from July the 1st for local Governments”, given that:

(a) the carbon tax will apply to off road commercial activity from 1 July 2012;

(b) the carbon tax will apply to on road commercial activity from 1 July 2014;

(c) the Government’s own projections show a total increase in fuel excise revenue as a result of the carbon tax package of $920 million over the first three years of operation;

(d) the Minerals Council estimates that the fuel tax changes will hit 60,000 businesses in year one and will hit almost 100,000 businesses by year three; and

(e) the South Australian Local Government Association has confirmed in its report, Financial Implications of the Carbon Price on South Australian Councils, that councils will have increased off road charges from 1 July 2012 and increased on road charges from 1 July 2014; and

(2) to explain why he says fuel taxes are going down when in fact they are going up by $920 million.

Fuel taxes are going up under the carbon price, not down. The minister has deceived this House and he should have the courage to make a statement about it now.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: I seek your clarification. There are specific provisions in the standing orders, if a member has deliberately misled the parliament, for it to proceed in terms of substantive motions. The member for Flinders has not had the courtesy to provide us with a copy of the resolution in order to make a judgment as to whether we will support the suspension of standing orders or not.

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

The Leader of the House is correct that there are other forms of the House if the member is claiming the minister has misled the parliament. I also do not have a copy of the motion before me, so it does generally—

Honourable members interjecting—

Order! I am not disputing who did or did not. I am just stating: I do not have a copy. I am not trying to apportion blame. If there are portions of the motion about misleading the House, then there is another form to do that. But the member has the call, as there are other issues in respect of the motion he is moving. I will ask him, though, if it is a suspension of standing orders, to refer to the actual motion before the chair.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will indeed, Madam Deputy Speaker. It is urgent that this minister explains himself. He made a statement in question time yesterday which was completely at odds with the $920 million of additional fuel taxes outlined in the government's own MYEFO.

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

The member for Flinders will resume his seat—and it is not just about the Leader of the House seeking the call; it is about me requesting people to resume their seats, and people should respect that call.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: the member is now attempting to move a suspension of standing orders. He must outline to the House why the suspension of standing orders should be allowed as opposed to the budget that is before the chamber—the budget of the Commonwealth of Australia.

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

The Leader of the House will resume his seat. The member for Flinders has the call and will refer to the motion before the chair.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This matter is urgent, immediate and important, precisely because a statement was made which was completely at odds with the budget of the Commonwealth. The reason that it is important is that yesterday the minister denied the fact that fuel excise is going up, under the carbon tax, not down. He claimed that it was going down; it is going up.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Given that the member is incapable of speaking to the suspension of standing orders, I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

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

The question is that the member be no longer heard.

Bruce Billson (Dunkley, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business, Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion. Labor's carbon tax would push up fuel costs and we need to suspend standing orders so that we can establish just by how much those fuel prices will go up. This is extraordinarily urgent and the reason for suspending standing orders is that in one month's time Australian businesses and consumers are faced with the world's largest carbon tax. We need to suspend standing orders so people have an understanding about how much fuel prices will go up so they can make decisions about pricing in their business. Certainty is required. That is why we need to suspend standing orders. We need to suspend standing orders because, without that clarity, how will businesses be able to price their services and products, how will the households of Australia be able to manage their budgets, and how will those marauding ACCC inspectors threatening a $1.1 million fine on businesses that do the wrong thing in relation to the carbon tax know what they can do if we do not suspend standing orders and get clarity?

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

The member for Dunkley will resume his seat. The Leader of the House on a point of order?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

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

The question is that the member be no longer heard.