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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that page 100 of his own budget paper No. 2 shows that he has cut $125 million from children's dental care.

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

Madam Speaker, I can confirm—

Mr Perrett interjecting—

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

No props. The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The member for Moreton is quite entitled to show his maroon colours.

Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you.

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

And I am showing my prejudice by the Blues. However, it does not exempt him from the rest of the standing orders. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

I can confirm that there has been a pause in indexation for some benefits in the budget.

Opposition members interjecting—

I can confirm that there has been a pause in indexation for some benefits, but this should not come as a shock to members opposite, because that is exactly what they did in the 2013 budget.

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

What? Oh, shock horror!

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

That is exactly what they did in the 2013 budget! If the Leader of the Opposition did not think that he was living in the future rather than the past, he would remember what happened in the 2013 budget. Let me just remind members opposite that this year's budget increases overall health spending by $2.3 billion—that is what we do.

Opposition members interjecting—

Yes, we do pause some indexation. But when the then health minister, now the deputy leader of the opposition, was asked about freezes to rebates, she said: 'They earn enough money to bear the federal government's freeze on rebates.' That is what she said.

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

Now she is trying to say, 'Oh, well, this was only for one year.' Okay. Madam Speaker, she has given the game away. As usual, they come in here full of indignation, they come in here full of bombast, but when you probe behind the question it turns out they have done exactly the same thing themselves.