Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I apologise; I am a new member! Madam Speaker, my question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's decision to ambush motorists with a $2.2 billion petrol tax with no mandate from the Australian people and with no approval by the parliament. How much will the Prime Minister's petrol tax directly cost Australia's two million small businesses?

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

We have an absolutely clear mandate to address the debt and deficit disaster that members opposite left us. We have an absolutely clear mandate to tackle the $25,000 of debt per man, woman and child that members opposite saddled Australians with. We have a clear mandate to do that. The measure that the member who asked the question refers to was a budget measure. As I said earlier to the Leader of the Opposition, it will cost the average family some 40c a week.

I regret it very much, but there is no easy way to address the debt and deficit disaster that members opposite left us. We at least have had the honesty and the decency to tell the Australian people how we propose to tackle Labor's debt and deficit disaster. Now it is only right and fair that members opposite should explain how they will address—

Mr Perrett interjecting—

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

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

The member for Moreton then left the chamber.

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

the problem that they caused.