John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister inform the House how all Australian families and businesses will benefit now that the world's biggest carbon tax has been scrapped. Are there any circumstances under which the carbon tax could return?

Ms Collins interjecting—

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

The member for Franklin will desist or leave!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Bennelong for his question. As everyone in this House should know, this government went to the election promising to build a strong and prosperous economy for a safe and secure Australia, and at the very heart of our plan for a strong and prosperous economy is scrapping the carbon tax. The carbon tax is gone. This destructive, useless tax that damaged businesses, that damaged jobs and that damaged families' cost of living and this useless destructive tax that did not actually help the environment is finally gone. Four years after the former Prime Minister said that there would be 'no carbon tax under the government I lead', 3½ years after the former Prime Minister gave us this toxic tax—

Ms Owens interjecting—

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

The member for Parramatta is warned!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

the carbon tax is finally gone. And with the carbon tax has gone a nine per cent impost on power prices, a $9 billion-a-year handbrake on our economy and a $550-a-year on the average household's cost of living. This has gone, thanks to this government. And I want to thank the Minister for the Environment and the Leader of the Government in the Senate for the work they did to bring about this good day for Australian families and this good day for Australian workers and businesses.

Mr Champion interjecting—

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

The member for Wakefield will leave under 94(a).

The member for Wakefield then left the chamber.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The carbon tax is gone, but it is not forgotten. The carbon tax is unloved by the Australian people, but it is still loved by members opposite, still loved by the Leader of the Opposition—

Ms Butler interjecting—

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

The member for Griffith: one more utterance and you will leave.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

who just this morning was saying on national radio, 'There will be a carbon tax under a government I lead if I ever get a chance.' The only way to keep the carbon tax out is to keep Labor out, because Labor is in love with tax. Labor is particularly in love with the carbon tax. Before the election this government made a series of commitments to the Australian people: we would scrap the carbon tax, we would build the roads of the 21st century—

Mr Butler interjecting—

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

The member for Port Adelaide will desist.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

we would get the budget back under control and we would stop the boats. And every day this government is working calmly, purposefully and methodically—

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The member for Isaacs is warned.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to honour our commitments to the Australian people.