Max Chandler-Mather (Griffith, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Since the Reserve Bank review, the Greens have opposed the government's proposal to remove its power to protect renters and mortgage holders from unreasonable interest rate rises. Former Prime Minister Keating and two former RBA governors have publicly agreed with us that big political decisions like interest rate rises require political accountability. Will you admit that your government was wrong to try and give up its power to overrule unreasonable interest rate increases, and back the Greens change to the bill?

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

What's surprising here isn't that the Greens political party have that position; it's that some of the Liberal Party are saying that they will back you on that as well. We'll see what happens in the Senate.

We had an RBA review and the government's response is all about reinforcing the independence of the Reserve Bank to deal—

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

Don't stack the board then!

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

Order, the member for Hume!

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

with monetary policy and the government's responsibility through the budget to deal with fiscal policy. We want them, of course, to work together—which is what we have been doing, which is why we produced the first budget surplus in 15 years. Senator McKim has shown through his sniping from the sidelines that he knows nothing about how the RBA functions and he doesn't understand the review. He has found a kindred spirit in the shadow Treasurer. The shadow Treasurer was consulted by the Treasurer for more than a year. He has never once mentioned any proposal to override power as a concern. This only shows that it's all about political posturing and opportunism and not a considered—

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

Stacking the board!

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

The member for Hume is going to cease interjecting for the remainder of this answer or be warned.

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

view about the policy. What is clear is that not only cannot the shadow Treasurer get a question to the Treasurer in question time but he has no authority amongst his colleagues who are trying to go down a populist route. Now, the Treasurer has done his best to be bipartisan, reasonable—

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

The member for Groom will cease interjecting.

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

The light shines upon the member for Groom, but it doesn't make him any brighter!

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

I ask the Prime Minister to withdraw that comment.

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

I withdraw. Senator Hume has said this, which is beyond my comprehension: 'In fact, it keeps the RBA more independent if the government can override them.' That's the position of their shadow minister in the other place. If you want to side with the Greens, you can wear it. We expect economic irresponsibility from them, but we expect a little bit better from mainstream political parties.