Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education. Will the minister update the House on the savings to school budgets because of the abolition of the world's biggest carbon tax?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I hear the interjections from the Labor Party about the nurses, but I do not remember them standing up for the health services workers when they were defending Craig Thomson in this House. I do not remember them caring very much about the nurses or the cleaners in the Health Services Union when they were being ripped off by Craig Thomson, the former member for Dobell.

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

I take the interjection from the member for Rankin. It was a very foolish interjection on your part. I do thank the member for McPherson for her question about the carbon tax and the impact on schools.

Mr Husic interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Chifley will desist or leave, one or the other.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would make the point that, with the abolition of the carbon tax, schools will save $85 million a year on expenses from the carbon tax. That is $340 million over four years. It is $340 million that they will not have to pay in taxes to Canberra. They will then get a choice. Many schools and, in many cases, education departments will decide that they can put that $340 million instead into sporting equipment, into IT upgrades, into new classrooms and, dare I say it, into school halls—things that students will be able to use every day in their school to improve the outcomes for their education. Labor would prefer that that $340 million sat in the coffers of the tax office in Canberra rather than circulate in the economy, being used by schools to improve educational outcomes.

On this side of the House we know that, if we abolish the carbon tax, $340 million more will be used by schools for better student outcomes. Worse than that, if Labor is re-elected in 2016 they plan to bring the carbon tax back. They plan to reintroduce the carbon tax. So the choice is very clear. If you vote for the coalition there will be no carbon tax after 2016.

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth!

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What a lot of nonsense!

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Isaacs will remove himself under 94(a).

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If you vote for the Labor Party, the toxic, job-destroying, price-increasing carbon tax will be back. The choice is very clear. If you want lower electricity prices, lower electricity bills, you will need to vote coalition at the next election. If you want more expensive costs at the supermarket counter, you will need to vote Labor at the next election. Finally, if you want schools to pay the carbon tax after 2016, you will vote Labor. If you want schools not to pay the carbon tax, you will continue to keep the coalition in office.

I would like to thank the Labor Party for making the next election about the carbon tax again. We won one election on it. We arguably have won two elections on it. I can tell you that if the Australian public find out that if they vote Labor the carbon tax is coming back, woe betide those members in marginal seats who think they are coasting to victory at the next election. They will get a very nasty surprise.

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would remind those on my left that there is a general warning in place, and I particularly remind the member for Perth.