Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that it is still his government's policy to cut $80 billion over the next decade from Australian schools and hospitals?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr Champion interjecting—

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I could not hear the last part of the question.

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

Thank you; that was the request I was about to make. If the member for Wakefield can contain himself, we will all hear the question in full.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that it is still his government's policy to cut $80 billion over the next decade from Australian hospitals and schools?

Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

'Now I will crowdsource the answer.'

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There you go!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Exactly. Very good ministering!

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to confirm, as those opposite would know—and I thank the Prime Minister for the opportunity to advise the House—that total Commonwealth schools funding increases from the 2015-16 budget year to $15.7 billion, a 7.4 per cent increase—

Ms O'Neil interjecting—

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

The member for Hotham will cease interjecting!

Ms O'Neil interjecting—

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

from 2016-17, $17 billion, an 8.1 per cent increase—

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

The member for Hotham is warned!

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

in 2017-18, $18 billion, a six per cent increase; and, in 2018-19, at the end of the forwards, $18.8 billion. Education funding goes up every single year, and I can say the same thing about hospital funding. It increases from $16.4 billion to $18.9 billion over the budget and forwards.

What I find puzzling about the questions from the opposition is that they seem to be suggesting to the Australian people that the opposition are going to be committing to some other form of increased spending by the nature of their questions. But we know that they have given no commitment whatsoever, they have not talked anywhere, about the levels of spending that they are now suggesting, and they are trying this three-card trick with the Australian people by raising these issues. But what they do have a problem with is something very specific: they have more than a $50 billion budget black hole when it comes to their failure to identify savings and their failure to identify the revenue to pay for all these things they say they can do.

What people will get from us is complete transparency on these issues—complete transparency. We say what we spend and we say what we save, and we know we need to get greater control of spending. Those opposite are putting a great falsehood to the Australian people with their pretending in this area. They are saying that they will increase spending in these areas, but they have nothing with which to pay for it. That is what we saw when they were in government, as they dug Australia deeper and deeper and deeper into debt. Those opposite have learnt nothing, absolutely nothing, from their time in opposition. That is why they will never be ready to come back to government.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table a document. It is the budget overview, which says that the measures will achieve significant savings—

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

The member for Sydney will resume her seat. I have already made clear—

Mr Pyne interjecting—

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

The Leader of the House will cease interjecting. The member for Gorton will cease interjecting. The member for Coorangamite will resume her seat for a second. I have made clear on numerous occasions that I am not going to accept tabling of documents of this parliament, of which the budget is obviously one. It is already a document of the parliament.

Andrew Nikolic (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Right through that response the member for Sydney was using that document as a prop and continues to do so. Is that within the standing orders?

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

I ask the member for Bass to resume his seat.

Mr Morrison interjecting—

The Treasurer will cease interjecting. Members know the rules on props.

Mr Pyne interjecting—

Ms Butler interjecting—

Before I call the member for Coorangamite, the Leader of the House will cease interjecting. He will contain himself no matter how difficult he finds it. I asked the member for Griffith to cease interjecting during the Treasurer's answer. She interjected on multiple occasions. She is now warned. That will be the final warning. I call the member for Coorangamite.