Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker, and congratulations on your appointment. My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline to the House the importance of keeping taxes low to ensure that we have a globally competitive business environment? What would be the impact of alternative approaches?

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Charlton. I am sorry, the member for Rankin. You look alike.

Honourable members interjecting—

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I do not know who does worse out of that, Mr Speaker. If your words from yesterday are to have any true meaning, you will reflect on page 555 of Practice, which is very explicit about asking about opposition policies.

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am ready to respond when the member for Sydney ceases interjecting. The member for Charlton—I am sorry the member for Rankin—I am sorry I am not doing that deliberately; I am really not. The member for Rankin is making a similar point. As I pointed out, former Speaker Jenkins, back in 2008 and again in 2012, addressed some of these matters. He had this to say: 'It should be done in a careful way'—I am quoting former Speaker Jenkins—'and in the interests of a free-flowing debate I am going to hear the minister's answer. I want to monitor the minister's answer, but I think a discussion of alternative policies is important in a free-ranging debate. Otherwise it is really going to curtail the answers of ministers.' Similarly, I do not want to curtail the asking of questions, either.

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

I say to the member for Rankin: 'Don't worry, this will only hurt a little bit—only a little bit.' The reason is—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The member for Hume's question was a very good question. Why should we keep taxes low? Well, we should keep taxes low because that empowers individual Australians to have more control of their own money. That is what we want. We want Australians to control the destiny of their hard work. We want Australians to be in control of their own money. We do not believe that—

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Rankin.

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

that the answer to every question is Canberra. We do not believe that.

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Rankin will cease interjecting.

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

Individuals who work hard, individuals who take risk, individuals who invest, individuals who create jobs—they are the best judges of how to use their money. That is why that as of today we are collecting $5.4 billion less in tax revenue than would have been collected if Labor were re-elected. Why? Because of the decisions we made. We said the mining tax was a ball and chain around the legs of the mining industry. How right we were! Look at what has happened to the mining industry. Imagine if there was a mining tax on top of that. And the carbon tax—$550 a year for a family. The carbon tax was costing jobs, costing economic growth, and Labor wants to re-introduce the carbon tax that hurt the Australian economy—the carbon tax that hurt Australian families.

Of course, we know that, because we abolished the carbon tax, prices for electricity have come down. A St Vincent de Paul Society study has confirmed that the saving on average for families is between $190 and $400 a year and is part of the broader $550 a year saved by Australian households as a result of getting rid of the carbon tax. But, of course, Labor wants to re-introduce the carbon tax. I found this document—their national platform—and it is compelling reading. There are some great lines in here. I would have thought at one stage that it was fiction. It says here: 'As a consequence of the decisions made by the last Labor government, Australia's public finances'—

Opposition members interjecting—

Terri Butler (Griffith, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. On standing order 104, I would ask the Speaker to rule that the Treasurer maintain direct relevance in answering the question.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the last 14 seconds of his answer, I ask the Treasurer to remain relevant to the question on the topic of tax.

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

On the topic of tax, here on page 60 there is compelling reading. It says Labor will 'introduce an emissions trading scheme'. A new tax on everyday Australians, a new tax on electricity— (Time expired)

Opposition members interjecting —

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those on my left will cease interjecting. The Leader of the Opposition is trying to ask a question.