Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. UBS data shows that in the last month alone the price of Vegemite has increased by eight per cent, peanut butter by nine per cent. Yoghurt has increased by 12 per cent. Having promised to take responsibility, will the Prime Minister apologise to Australians for failing to take the pressure of inflation, meaning Australians will pay more at the checkout?

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, there is far too much noise. I am going to ask the member for Hume to restate the question because I couldn't hear it. There was far too much noise on my left. I want to have complete silence so that these questions can be heard. I give the call to the member for Hume, who will be heard in silence.

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. UBS data shows that in the last month alone, the price of Vegemite has increased by eight per cent, peanut butter by nine per cent, and yoghurt has increased by 12 per cent. Having promised to take responsibility, will the Prime Minister apologise to Australians for failing to take pressure off inflation, meaning Australians will pay more at the checkout?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the shadow Treasurer for the question. He seems incapable of asking a question of the Treasurer. Those opposite, of course, spent their budget estimates last week asking the big questions about what T-shirts people were wearing and all the other nonsense that they carried on with. This is the paradox of the shadow Treasurer—lightweight but dense. He has asked about inflation; well, he should know. The fact is that, when you look at Australia's performance, the CPI jumped 2.1 per cent in the March 2022 quarter on his watch, the largest quarterly rise this century. The notable price rises in the quarter included: automotive fuel, 11 per cent; beef, 7.6 per cent; vegetables, 6.6 per cent; fruit, 4.9 per cent; and nondurable grocery products, 6.7 per cent. That is what occurred.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will pause. He was referring to the prices of goods, which was included in the question about Vegemite, peanut butter and yoghurt. The shadow Treasurer on a point of order?

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order: relevance. It was a very specific question asking the Prime Minister to take responsibility.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister is being relevant because the question, at the end, said about Australians paying more at the checkout, and the Prime Minister is giving detailed information about goods and services at the checkout. That is relevant to the question. He could not be more relevant.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The shadow Treasurer likes to talk about the G7; he thinks we are a member. But when you have a look at the G7 countries and you compare us with them—the fact is I am asked about food—of the G7 countries, this is where they are at: Canada, 10.5; France, 15.6; Germany, 20.4; Italy, 13; UK, 18.1; United States, 9.9. Every single one of those countries has higher food inflation than Australia. You can't be more specific than this. For every single one, Australia's performance has been better.

I note that, at the National Press Club, the shadow Treasurer was asked why inflation was something that was out of the coalition's control but is now, as you say, able to be controlled by Labor, especially given the war in Ukraine is still going. His answer said it all. 'The key to answering that question is that we're not in government; Labor is now.' It says it all about this lightweight shadow Treasurer.

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You can't even remember what inflation is.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hume, if he continues to interject, will be warned.