Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) today’s media reports that the now Prime Minister abused the Tasmanian Treasurer in an expletive-laden tirade after being accused of short-changing Tasmania on the GST;

(b) this reported conduct is an insult to Tasmania and falls below the high standards expected of Ministers under the Prime Minister’s own Ministerial Standards;

(c) this is just the latest leak in an almost daily series of leaks from within this divided, unstable and illegitimate Government; and

(d) despite the Government being consumed by claims and counter-claims of bullying within its own ranks, the Prime Minister continued to deny that bullying has occurred; and

(2) condemns the Government for:

(a) fighting itself instead of focusing on the needs of Australians; and

(b) reducing the Government to what the Prime Minister has himself described as a Muppet Show.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for McMahon from moving the following motion immediately:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a)   today's media reports that the now Prime Minister abused the Tasmanian Treasurer in an expletive-laden tirade after being accused of short-changing Tasmania on the GST;

(b)   this reported conduct is an insult to Tasmania and falls below the high standards expected of ministers under the Prime Minister's own ministerial standards;

(c)   this is just the latest leak in an almost daily series of leaks from within this divided, unstable and illegitimate government; and

(d)   despite the government being consumed by claims and counterclaims of bullying within its own ranks, the Prime Minister continues to deny that bullying has occurred; and

(2) condemns the government for:

(a)   fighting itself instead of focusing on the needs of Australians; and

(b)   reducing the government to what the Prime Minister has himself described as a muppet show.

Mr Speaker, we now know what the new Prime Minister really thinks of Tasmanians. We know what he thinks of the Treasurer of Tasmania, but we also know what he thinks of every single Tasmanian. He didn't tell the people of Braddon what he thought of them on his single solitary trip to Tasmania during the by-election campaign. He said nice things about Tasmanians there. But, when he was on the telephone to the Treasurer, in the privacy of his own office, he had a different form of words.

I have a great deal of respect for the institution and the dignity of the parliament so I am not going to quote the Prime Minister directly—I'm sure you would agree with that decision—I will just say that the language was inappropriate and would be unfit to be mentioned in this House. But the Prime Minister thought it was fit to use that language to the Treasurer of Tasmania.

We know why, perhaps, this new Prime Minister has been to Germany more times in his term than he has been to Tasmania. He really thinks that Tasmanians are mendicants, beggars. He thinks that the Tasmanians waiting at Hobart Hospital are beggars. He thinks that Tasmanians who dare to dream of going to the University of Tasmania are beggars. He thinks that those Tasmanians who want a good quality education for their children are beggars. That's what the now Prime Minister thinks of the people of Tasmania. That's what he thinks of the people of the state of Tasmania.

It also tells us about the state of the Morrison government. I hazard a guess: I don't think this leak came from the Apple Isle. I think this leak came from the Big Apple. I think the former Prime Minister has worked out that his loyal Treasurer was undermining him the whole time. He has told us at the dispatch box—we've asked him, 'Why is Malcolm Turnbull no longer the Prime Minister of Australia?' His answer in effect is: 'Well, I don't know, because it wasn't me. I had nothing to do with it. I turned up at the Liberal Party room and the next thing I knew I was Prime Minister of Australia. It was all a big surprise.' His defence is: 'I walked in as the Treasurer; I walked out as Prime Minister and I'm still not quite sure how it happened.' He's got form, of course, because he did it before to Tony Abbott. We know how this bloke operates. But, more importantly, the Liberal Party knows how he operates. What it also means is that this will continue. He says the curtain has come down on the muppet show. Well, it is actually only opening night when it comes to the dysfunction of this government. They are riven with disunity. We are going to see these leaks continue—another day, another leak.

We should be focused as a parliament. But, while this government should be focused on the needs of Tasmanians, Western Australians, South Australians—goodness knows what he thinks of South Australia if that's what he thinks of Tasmanians—this government are focused on themselves. They are focused on one job and one job alone: trying to save the prime ministership of Australia.

Australians deserve better than this. Tasmanians deserve better than this. They deserve a government focused on low wages growth. They deserve a government focused on economic growth. They deserve a government focused on better funding for schools and hospitals. They deserve a government that is focused on more fairness in our taxation system. They deserve a government focused on the future, not on the past battles within the Liberal Party. They deserve a government which knows who should be the Prime Minister of Australia and that should be the member for Maribyrnong. They deserve a government that knows who should be in the cabinet of Australia and that should be the people chosen by the Labor Party caucus, because we have the vision for Australia and for Australians' needs. We're not interested in the factional fights of the Liberal Party. We're interested in the long-term, best interests of the Australian people. That's the sort of government Australia needs.

Nobody is suggesting that the challenges facing Australia are easy. I'm not suggesting that the matter of GST distribution is easy. I hazard to say that I understand better than most just what a complicated issue it is. There are legitimate concerns of the people of Tasmania and of the people of Western Australia. These concerns are legitimate. We in the Labor Party have taken the issue seriously. We've spent the time, talking in good faith to our Western Australian colleagues and to our Tasmanian colleagues, working on the issue and coming up with a concrete solution. We've been working with state governments, with the Treasurer of Western Australia, with the shadow Treasurer of Tasmania, and, indeed, with people across the political aisle to find the right solution, because it is a problem, because it is a challenge and because it should be fixed.

The people of Tasmania shouldn't pay the price, and nor should the people of Western Australia. The people of Western Australia have a legitimate concern, and the Labor Party has moved to fix it. My point is that we've done so because it's an important issue. We haven't been dragged there because of the political pressure. We haven't tried to come up with a retrofitted solution and, along the way, insulted the Treasurer of one of Australia's states. A Liberal Party Treasurer was insulted by the then Liberal Party federal Treasurer. Goodness know how he talks to Labor Treasurers, Mr Speaker. Goodness knows what he says to Labor Treasurers. There is how he treats his own state Liberal Party Treasurer.

Josh Wilson (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He was trying to be authentic!

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was a very authentic phone call. I pay respects to the member for Fremantle. It was a very authentic phone call, as we now know. We now know what he really thinks. We now know his true temperament. We now know what really makes him tick when it comes to big issues facing the Australian people. It's all about the politics for this bloke. It is all about the internal Liberal Party politics. You can take him out of the state directorship of the Liberal Party, but you can't take the state directorship of the Liberal Party out of him. He's still, at heart, a state director of the Liberal Party, not a Prime Minister for all Australians. He's certainly not a Prime Minister for all Tasmanians—not for the Treasurer of Tasmania, nor for all Tasmanians.

This is a Prime Minister who is simply not up to the job. He wasn't up to the job of being Treasurer, with all due respect, Mr Speaker, and he's certainly not up to the job of being Prime Minister of Australia. This is a man who thinks it's appropriate to slam down the phone on the Treasurer of Tasmania and use language which was insulting and which I will not repeat in the House. I have too much respect to repeat it in the House. It was clearly insulting to the Treasurer and to all Tasmanians, because that is what he really thinks. He didn't fly into Braddon and say: 'I'm here to tell you you're all mendicants. I'm here to tell you don't deserve the GST money. I'm here to tell you don't deserving fair hospital funding or school funding. I'm here to tell you if you vote for me and for the Liberal Party you'll get a Treasurer and then a Prime Minister who thinks Tasmanians are beggars.' He didn't tell the people of Tasmania that.

He's not being honest with the people of Australia either. This is a man who is prepared to be dishonest with the people of Tasmania. He's therefore willing to be dishonest with the people of Australia. He's not very authentic. He knows that if he can fake authenticity, he's got it made. He knows that. That's his big plan. He says he has a mountain to climb to show the Australian people he's authentic. He's right there; we've found a point of agreement. He has a mountain to climb to show the Australian people he is authentic, because he is not authentic. He is authentic about one thing only: his ambitions. Remember when he gave Malcolm the cuddle and said, 'This is my leader and I'm ambitious for him.' Well, he was ambitious for somebody; that's true. He's not ambitious for the people of Tasmania, that's for certain. He thinks the people of Tasmania deserve less. He thought Malcolm Turnbull should deserve less as well, and he dealt with that.

Let's not let him deal with the people of Tasmania. Let's not let him deal with the matter of GST distribution. Let's not let him deal with low wages growth in Australia, where his plan is to cut penalty rates. Let's not let him deal with underfunding of schools, where his plan is to cut school funding more. Let's not let him deal with underfunding of hospitals and hospital cuts. Let's not let him deal with the challenges facing Australians doing it tough, trying to make ends meet, who commit no crime other than working on weekends, only to get a wages cut; or Australians who want their schools and hospitals properly funded. He has no plan for them. He probably thinks they're beggars and mendicants as well. He thinks they're an irritant as he tries to climb the mountain to build his authenticity, as he tries to show the Australian people he is really just an ordinary bloke. Well, he is an ordinary bloke with bad plans for Australia. He is a very ordinary Prime Minister—I'll give him that. He is a very, very ordinary Prime Minister. This bloke is the most ordinary Prime Minister since Billy McMahon. I suspect the Australian people will work that out, and they will work out his lack of authenticity as well. (Time expired)

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

Is the motion seconded?

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The motion is seconded. Tasmanians are rightly outraged as they pick up their newspaper today and see reports about the conversation between the Treasurer of Tasmania and the now Prime Minister. Tasmanians have allegedly been called beggars by the Prime Minister. Tasmanians who are queuing up in our hospitals and are currently ramped in an ambulance at the Royal Hobart Hospital, Tasmanians who are seeking mental health services at the Launceston General Hospital, and Tasmanians who are trying to access specialists on our north-west and west coasts are beggars, according to the Prime Minister. They're not Australians trying to seek the same health services as every other Australian, according to our Prime Minister.

It is an outrageous slur on Tasmanians and it goes to the character of this Prime Minister. It goes to the character of this Prime Minister that he will, behind closed doors, say things like this about Tasmania and Tasmanians and show such complete disregard for Tasmania in a private conversation that clearly happened, because the Treasurer of Tasmania, one of his friends, hasn't denied this conversation happened. All he's denied are the actual words. Clearly there was a very heated conversation and clearly a conversation took place where the current Prime Minister allegedly called Tasmanians beggars.

This Prime Minister really needs to come to Tasmania. He's been down once, as we heard from the shadow Treasurer. He's been down just once in the last three years in his term, and it's only because of the Braddon by-election that he come down. In fact, his trip was so quick, I actually missed it. He just flew in and flew out and nobody really noticed he was there. That's because he doesn't actually care about Tasmania, and that is apparent.

It's also very clear, unfortunately, that the Tasmanian Liberals have no influence here in Canberra and that the federal Liberal Party is not taking the Tasmanian Liberals seriously, whether it be the Senate team or whether it be the Liberal state government. This does not bode well for Tasmania. It does not bode well for Tasmania in GST discussions, it does not bode well for Tasmania when it comes to funding our education system, it does not bode well for Tasmania when it comes to health funding and it does not bode well at all for Tasmanians who expect the Prime Minister to treat us like every other Australian—to treat us the same as he treats his friends at Cronulla.

This is an outrageous slur against Tasmanians, and Tasmanians actually deserve an apology from this Prime Minister for speaking like that to the Treasurer of Tasmania, who is supposed to be his friend. You can imagine the muppet show over there—who's friends with whom? They go over here, they do a little dance and a little show and they try and pretend they're authentic. They try and pretend that they like Tasmanians when they come down. It is outrageous what is going on over on that side—the disunity and the dysfunction from this government continues with this leak. It is outrageous that they would say such things about Tasmanians. But, as I said, it really does go to the character of our Prime Minister.

Our Prime Minister should be prepared, in a phone call with the state Treasurer, to discuss a serious issue like GST funding, which Tasmanians rely on more than most states to fund essential services. This is a very serious issue. We talk about the muppet show and dysfunction and chaos, but Tasmanians actually need these funds. Tasmanians actually rely on them to fund our essential services. It is not good enough for the Prime Minister to have this conversation in private and to say things that clearly happened in this conversation that implied Tasmanians are beggars. We should not have to put up with this. It is not okay that this has happened, and the Prime Minister really does need to say to Tasmanians: 'I'm sorry for what I've said. I'm sorry I've been caught out. I'm sorry that this has occurred.' He needs to say 'I'm sorry' to Tasmanians for this conversation.

The fact that the Treasurer of Tasmania, as I said, has not denied that a conversation occurred is actually damning on the Prime Minister. The fact that he has not said that there was not a heated conversation is damning of this Prime Minister. But, as we heard from the shadow Treasurer, we expect these leaks to continue because we know that they are still not united on that side. We know that they still don't trust each other. That is clearly apparent. We know that the disunity, the dysfunction and the chaos on that side of politics is going to continue, and it will continue to the detriment of Tasmanians and it will continue to the detriment, I'm sure, of other Australians. But this Prime Minister should actually come in here, say sorry and start treating Tasmanians the same as every other Australian. This has been an outrageous slur and he should fix it.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The fact is that what the Prime Minister has done is deliver for Tasmania and deliver for this nation. He has fixed the GST for Western Australia. He's fixed it for Tasmania—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The minister will resume his seat. I know this is passionate, but enough. I'd like to hear the minister's words, and I think, in fairness, you should too.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think this demonstrates what this motion is all about: it's a cheap stunt. The opposition are not focused on the Australian people. The shadow Treasurer was talking about the need to focus on the Australian people. Look at you all. Are you doing that? No. What is the Prime Minister doing? He is focusing on the Australian people because he knows that's what his job is. From day one, from the day he was given the great honour of being Prime Minister of this country, he has had nothing but focus on delivering for the Australian people. I know that this might be concerning and alarming for those opposite because they don't do that. They do not focus on the Australian people like we do. What are we focused on doing? We're focused on delivering a strong economy, we're focused on delivering a safe Australia and we're focused on making sure that that strong economy delivers the essential services that the Australian people need. That is what we are all about on this side. What are you on about over there? You're on about coming in here with your cheap stunts—

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

I remind the minister to make his remarks through the chair.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What those opposite are focused on are cheap political stunts. They're not focused on the Australian people, like the Prime Minister is. They're not focused on delivering outcomes. Let's remember the outcome that the Prime Minister did deliver when it came to the GST. There was a problem which Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania said needed to be fixed in a way that dealt with them fairly. What the then Treasurer did was come up with a solution. What we haven't heard from those opposite is what they will do. What will they do to fix it? What's their solution? Nothing. That's why they come in here with these cheap political stunts. To those opposite: you're not focused on delivering outcomes for the Australian people. You're not focused on making sure that they have improved lives into the future. All you're worried about is coming in here and using some allegation from some report to try and say, 'Okay, there is something here that the Australian people need to be focused on.' We're not going to play your games. We are going to make sure that we are delivering for the Australian people, and that is what we will continue to do.

Look at what we are doing. One thousand jobs a day are being created. Just think for a minute about what that does for people's lives: the fact that we can create 1,000 jobs a day. That is transformational for those people who are getting those jobs. You should be applauding that. You should be applauding the fact that, right now, we have record jobs growth in this country. You should be backing the policies that are delivering that record jobs growth. You should be backing the policies that have delivered income tax cuts. You should be backing the policies which have seen small business tax reduced. That is what we're about. Why don't we hear more from you about that? Those are the sorts of policies which change people's lives.

Stephen Jones (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about education, Dan?

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Look at education. I'm asked about education. What are we delivering when it comes to education, one of the essential services that we need to deliver on? Record school funding. Record childcare funding. Record tertiary education funding. I can tell you what: we will have results when it comes to education and we will deliver results when it comes to education.

Opposition members interjecting—

I'm asked what this means when it comes to Tasmanian schools. I'm happy to say it: more funding for Tasmanian schools. That is what this government is focused on. We are focused on making sure that we are going to change the lives of the Australian people, and we're doing that through what we're doing with the economy.

We're also doing it through delivering the essential services. I've mentioned education. We're doing it when it comes to health, which is very important. Look at those medicines that we've been able to provide cheaply to the Australian people. We in this place all know that that delivers real outcomes for those people who need those medications. We're able to do that while we're still keeping the budget heading back to surplus. When was the last time those opposite delivered a surplus? I can't remember. We've lost Wyatt Roy in this place, and I can't remember now the last time that they delivered a surplus. We are delivering these essential services in a way which is economically affordable.

Opposition members interjecting—

I'm asked what we are we doing for Tasmania. I will say what we're doing when it comes to Tasmania. We're delivering funding for schools, we're delivering better health outcomes and we're delivering jobs outcomes. That is incredibly important for those Tasmanians, and we will continue to deliver that. That is incredibly important. While I'm here, just so we can really put paid to what this motion is all about, I'd like to read out a statement from the Tasmanian Treasurer. I think, given that this goes to the heart of the motion, it would be good if we listened. This is a statement from the Tasmanian Treasurer.

Opposition members interjecting—

What this goes to show is you're not actually interested in your own motion. You're not interested in Tasmanians. You're just here doing your cheap political stunts. That's all this is about. Let's hear what he has to say.

While it is not my usual practice to comment on private conversations, I can confirm that during our discussions relating to the GST the phrase attributed in today's media to Mr Morrison was not used.

What does this say? It says this has just been a complete waste of time on your behalf.

Mr Morrison and I continue to have a very good working relationship and most importantly, the GST proposal that Mr Morrison and I reached is, on face value, a good deal for Tasmania.

So you can all go back to doing your day jobs. You can all go back to actually doing what you were elected here to do, and that wasn't to play these cheap political stunts. Go back to representing your constituencies in the way that they want you to. This statement clearly shows that this whole thing has been a complete and utter waste of time.

I repeat:

While it is not my usual practice to comment on private conversations, I can confirm that during our discussions relating to the GST the phrase attributed in today's media to Mr Morrison was not used.

Which part of 'was not used' don't you understand? What you've done this morning is waste this parliament's time. You've completely and utterly wasted this parliament's time, and the Australian people will be saying, 'This is why you should remain in opposition.' (Time expired)

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

The question is that the motion moved by the member for McMahon be agreed to.