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

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's inability to give the price of petrol recently. The government excise makes up a significant part of the petrol price that Australians pay at the bowser. Prime Minister, what is the fuel excise rate?

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

The member for Bendigo will cease interjecting, or she will be warned.

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

I thank the shadow Treasurer for his question. The shadow Treasurer, who is incapable of asking a question of the Treasurer—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

When members on my left cease interjecting, I'll hear from the member for Hume, and he'll need to state a point of order.

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

Relevance.

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

Resume your seat. Well, 15 seconds is a new record for relevance being raised, but we'll monitor that.

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

The fact is that under those opposite—of course, this is typical of what those opposite do—they refused to take responsibility for any of their actions. What we saw with their budget was that, in 2022, they handed down a budget with a whole bunch of goodies that all ran out, and that is why they left a $78 billion deficit, one that we have turned around into a $22 billion dollar surplus. Those opposite brought forward, in that budget in March, a freeze to the fuel excise. They brought that forward, but they also put in an end date for it. It's now 48 cents, but what they did was bring forward changes which all ran out as soon as people had cast their vote. But they left a $78 billion blackhole, as well as of course contributing to a trillion dollars of debt.

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

The member for Casey will leave the chamber under 94(a). There is far too much noise, and interjections are at an all-time high.

The member for Casey then left the chamber.

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

They of course had the largest ever inflation, of 2.1 per cent, in decades. That was on their watch in the March quarter. What we have done is turn that around with a policy aimed at tackling inflation while dealing with cost-of-living pressures, while at the same time dealing with supply chain issues—

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

The member for Barker is warned.

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

which is what our National Skills Agreement is about. Those opposite, who have nothing to offer—a shadow Treasurer who has taken a vow of silence when it comes to talking with the Treasurer. He may as well have a Trappist monk in charge!

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

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition is now warned, alongside the member for Barker.