Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, my question is to the Prime Minister. The Treasurer was asked about further budget cuts this morning. 'Question: are you looking at new ideas in case you can't get some of these things through?' Treasurer's answer, 'Well, we'll have to.' Now that the government has finally woken up to the fact that the budget is a miserable failure, Prime Minister, what are the new ideas that the Treasurer is working on to inflict new pain on the Australian people?

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

The only miserable failures are members opposite, who failed to deliver a surplus—

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Swannie!

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

in six years of government.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We love you, Swannie! Don't go anywhere!

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

The Treasurer will desist!

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

The former Treasurer, the member for Lilley, had the gall to stand up in this parliament on budget night 2012 and say, 'The four years of surplus I announce tonight'.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The member for Isaacs will desist.

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

He knows that a surplus is important. The Leader of the Opposition knows that a surplus is important because the Leader of the Opposition kept announcing that a surplus had been achieved.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Achieved?

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

Achieved! I am looking at Bill Shorten's Budget News from 2012—'A Budget Surplus For A Strong Economy'.

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

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, the Prime Minister was asked a direct question about this government's budget and he is not being relevant.

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

There is no point of order. The member will resume his seat. He knows perfectly well that it was one of the widest questions we have heard.

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

Once upon a time when the Leader of the Opposition was a minister in a government, he said to the good people of Maribyrnong, 'A budget surplus for a strong economy'. That is what he wanted. He talked about a budget surplus for a stronger economy. This government will deliver a budget surplus for a strong economy.