Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. On bushfires the Prime Minister said he didn't hold a hose. On vaccines the Prime Minister said it wasn't a race. Now the Prime Minister isn't even in the room while the government's climate change policy is being determined by the National Party. Why does the Prime Minister always go missing when leadership is required and never take responsibility for anything?

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

I thought this was question time, not sledge time. If that's how the Leader of the Opposition wants to kick off the week, that's up to him. I know that under this government we have been coming through this pandemic saving lives and saving livelihoods. Australia is reopening now. Australians can see their future. As the days get warmer, their future is getting brighter. And their future is not only getting brighter because we're coming through the pandemic but because they know this government has the economic plans to ensure that they can look forward to the future and can plan for their future with confidence, because they know they will be paying lower taxes under our government, because they know that we're investing in the infrastructure that is needed to boost regions right across this country and because they know that our agricultural sector now is realising some long, hard-fought gains as they've seen an improvement in their crops and they're seeing some prosperity return to the regions and the rural parts of this country.

They know that under this government they can be more secure and they can be more safe—whether it's taking the decisions we need to take in our national defence or working with our partners around the world, particularly the United States, to ensure that in an highly unstable region we can provide stability through the strong leadership we've shown on national security and defence. When it comes to protecting our borders and ensuring that we take the right decisions to ensure Australians are protected from a terrorist threat, we're doing the right thing when it comes to our Home Affairs portfolio as well.

Our government is taking the decisions that are necessary to ensure that Australians can be more prosperous and Australians can be more secure. We're bringing Australia together around the big challenges that this country faces. We're doing it together. We're listening to all across this country, including in our rural and regional areas as they're dealing with the challenges we're facing in the global economy. I can assure you that this government will stand up for rural and regional Australia every single time. This government will understand those concerns about the challenges we face and will respond to those concerns. We will ensure that we have the plans to ensure that they can look forward to a future with confidence. Those opposite have a different set of priorities and plans—plans that aren't for Australia's economic prosperity: plans for higher taxes and plans for leaving rural and regional Australia behind.