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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, if the GST is increased to 15 per cent, how much more will Australians pay for a second-hand ute?

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

The opposition have completely abandoned any interest in discussing tax reform, the economy or jobs. The honourable member for Watson, whom I have known for many years, is becoming a caricature of himself. Seriously, here we are in the nation's parliament. We have a government which is setting out to drive strong economic growth. We will be bringing out an innovation statement in a few weeks—

Mr Mitchell interjecting—

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

Member for McEwen!

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

in which we will look, with an open mind, at every lever of economic influence the government have, with a view to seeing how we can more efficiently promote work, saving, investment, enterprise and innovation. In other words, we will look to ensure that our children and our grandchildren have better jobs, to ensure that Australian businesses will have bigger markets and to ensure that Australian service providers, including universities, schools and tourism operators, will have greater reach into the international market. That is what we are seeking to do. Of course there is a debate about which measures would do that best; that is fair enough. Lots of people are engaging in that debate, but not the opposition. They have nothing to say; they just ask one sort of joke question after another, including this last one. First, they asked me a question about the GST. I gave a short answer; they were unhappy. Then they asked me another one. I answered for three minutes and actually made a few points about the different deadweight losses of different taxes. Now, having not liked the short answer or the long answer, they come up with a joke question. Really, Leader of the Opposition, you should treat the Australian economy, the jobs of today and the jobs of the future with much greater respect here in the nation's parliament.

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

The member for McEwen used an unparliamentary term that he will withdraw.

Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw my remark.

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

Thank you.