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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the current Prime Minister agree with the previous Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, who said today about the National Energy Guarantee:

There was a minority of Coalition MPs who effectively torpedoed what was fundamentally a very good technology agnostic policy, which united climate and energy policy, and would enable us to bring down prices and keep the lights on.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

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

Members on my right will cease interjecting. The Treasurer is warned. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

The policy that was being pursued by the government did not include a 45 per cent emissions reduction target. As a result, when we pursued this policy, it was not with the policy being suggested by the Labor Party. The Labor Party refuses to be honest with the Australian people that a 45 per cent emissions reduction target—which is the centrepiece of their national energy guarantee—will wipe out smelting industries, will wipe out steel industries, will wipe out the agricultural sector industries. Which of these industries will go first under the Labor Party with their economy-wrecking, 45 per cent emissions reduction target?

The Business Council of Australia made it pretty clear. They said an emissions target of 26 per cent—

Opposition Member:

An opposition member interjecting—

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

They're their words. Would you like to rephrase it for them? They said an emissions reduction target of 26 per cent is appropriate and achievable. That's what the Business Council has said, and that's what we're doing and that's what we're committed to. They said a 45 per cent emissions reduction target is 'an economy-wrecking target'. That is what the Labor Party are proposing to do if they are elected. Make no mistake, if the Labor Party are elected in this country, they propose to make dramatic and widescale changes to the economy of Australia.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What you are proposing? Coal.

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

The member for Isaacs is warned.

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

They are looking to change it all when it comes to the economic management of this country. That is exactly what they did back in 2007. In 2007 they pretended to be fiscal conservatives, and we all know that that was a big fat lie. They sought to hoodwink the Australian people back in 2007. Following the election of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government at that time they pursued reckless economic policies, which drove the budget into deficit and drove the economy to its brink. For the last five years we have been cleaning up Labor's economic wreckage. Next April we will bring that budget back into surplus for the first time in more than a decade, because of sensible, rational economic policies.

The Labor Party want to put up taxes. They want to put more than $200 billion of high taxes on the Australian economy. That will throw a wet blanket on jobs and it will drive up the cost of living for Australians, whether they are pensioners or mums and dads paying school fees or just trying to get ahead. The Labor Party are proposing radical changes to the economic management of this country. That spells a weaker economy and higher taxes under the Labor Party.