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

My question is to the Prime Minister. I advise the Prime Minister that AFP officers have negotiated an additional 16 weeks parental leave and the members of the ADF receive an additional 14 weeks. These people are not rorters. Why does the Prime Minister want the ADF personnel and the AFP personnel to spend less time at home with their new children? When will the Prime Minister backflip on this stupid idea?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

I am really pleased—

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

I will not tolerate the wall of noise. Now stop.

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

I am really pleased that our hardworking police and our extraordinarily committed and dedicated military personnel are getting a good Paid Parental Leave scheme. Frankly, I want all Australians to get the best possible Paid Parental Leave scheme. There is absolutely nothing that we are doing to reduce or remove anyone's employer provided Paid Parental Leave scheme—absolutely nothing. Under us, every person will get at least 18 weeks at the minimum wage. Every person will get it. If they get nothing from their employer, they will get it from the government. If they get less than that from their employer, it will be topped up by the government. If they get more than that from their employer, that is great—they have a very good scheme. What we do not want to see is Commonwealth public servants getting two lots of paid parental leave from the taxpayer—that is all. Members opposite seem to think that it is fair for Commonwealth public servants to get two lots of paid parental leave from the taxpayer.

This is from the Leader of the Opposition who said that this was going to be the year of ideas. So far, the only idea we have had from him in the post-budget period is that Commonwealth public servants should get two lots of taxpayer funded paid parental leave. Tonight, he has a chance to rise above mindless negativity and actually tell us—

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, on relevance: surely there can be direct relevance on a question about soldiers and police.

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

There is no point of order. The Prime Minister is addressing the question as it was asked.

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

I have been asked about budget issues and I am dealing with budget issues. We know that the Leader of the Opposition does not like this government's plan. His challenge is to tell us what his plan is. He said that this was going to be the year of ideas. Give us an idea—just one will do, any idea will do. I tell you what he would have to do: he had better fund his ideas too—

Ms Claydon interjecting—

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

The member for Newcastle is warned!

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

because as things stand, the Leader of the Opposition has a $52 billion budget black hole that he is going to have to fill and he should start filling it tonight.