John Cobb (Calare, National Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. I refer the Acting Prime Minister to this newsletter from Lithgow Workers Club, which states: 'The bill for the month of July reflected an increase of $4,863 simply because of the carbon tax. We have been advised that many of our suppliers' costs will be increasing because the carbon tax will present additional costs with regard to transport and coolrooms and the like.' Why should the working families of Lithgow pay for your broken promise not to introduce a carbon tax?

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

We have seen these allegations day after day after day, and most of them are incorrect. But I do say to the member that they should refer these matters to the ACCC, because if somebody out there in the supply chain is not doing the right thing then there is a means to deal with that. So they should go straight to the ACCC if the member is actually serious in the question that he has just asked. Has he referred these matters to the ACCC? Has he referred what the suppliers are doing to the ACCC?

We have heard day after day members on the other side come in here and give us some facts about the impact on electricity bills, and generally they have been found to be wrong. The fact is that what we have seen here is a continuation of the scare campaign, which they are pretty embarrassed about now. The opposition leader went to Tasmania three or four weeks ago and admitted that the sky was not going to fall in, that things might not happen quite the way that he said they would—Whyalla would be wiped off the map, Gladstone would be wiped off the map, the whole of the Central Queensland coal industry would be gone. We can see that that has not happened, so they are continuing to try to do this in a different way.

The fact is that this mob opposite have simply run out of steam when it comes to this scare campaign. It is leaving them exposed as not having a policy agenda for the future. All they have got is a $70 billion budget crater. That is what they have got. The shadow Treasurer announced that on breakfast television, sitting there beside the minister for the environment.

Then he goes on TV and says that it never happened. It did not happen! He was not there! The invisible man!

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

The Deputy Prime Minister will return to the question before the chair.

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

Why we are getting this sort of campaign from those opposite is that they are seeking to camouflage the fact that at the core of their whole policy agenda they have very harsh cuts planned for health and education—harsh cuts, just like we have seen in Queensland and just like we have seen in New South Wales and what would be seen if the Liberals were in power in South Australia.

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

The member for Mackellar has her new House of Representatives Practice.

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

I rise on a point of order. Madam Deputy Speaker Burke, I do refer to the new House of Representatives Practice at page 568, which points out that, with regard to the insertion of 'directly relevant', you have far more power to make the minister be relevant, and that on frequent occasions you ask them to come to the question or sit them down. I note that you have already asked the minister to return to the question, which he refuses to do. I ask you to go to the next step and ask him to sit down.

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

I am sure the Clerk is very happy that someone is reading his new House of Representatives Practice. The Deputy Prime Minister has the call and will refer to the question before the chair.

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

Certainly. I was referring to the fear campaign that has been waged by those opposite on carbon pricing, which has been found to be baseless. Frequently, when matters are raised in this House and we go away and investigate them we find out that they are wrong. But the member who asked me this question does not even believe in the science of climate change. This is what he has had to say:

So we are not talking about proven science we are talking about a climate change theory.

So what we have is a clear and stark contrast—

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

The Deputy Prime Minister will refer to the question before the chair.

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

What I would say is that he should say to everyone in Lithgow that he does not believe in the science of climate change and that is why he is involved in the fear campaign as he is.

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

The member for Calare is seeking to table a very large document.

John Cobb (Calare, National Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like permission to table both the newsletter and the electricity bill from the Lithgow Workers Club.

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

Is leave granted?

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

No.

Leave not granted.

I table the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia media release 'New South Wales Government fails students at independent schools'.