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

Treasurer, the Albanese Labor government is the weakest and most incompetent since Whitlam. Yesterday the RBA governor said, 'When I speak to the Treasurer, he is fully aware—

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

Order! We are going to deal with this issue once and for all. I have now checked my records and I want to make a statement to the House. We have dealt with this before. I want to go through the House where we're at with this issue, because I'm relying on former Speakers' advice and what they have said to the House on this matter as well. Speaker Andrew probably gave the most comprehensive description of improper motives at the beginning, middle and end of questions, as highlighted on page 556 of Practice, and noted the attitude to intervene when the attribution of motive was such that it cannot be ignored. Speaker Smith ruled on two occasions. I want to read some of his statements about this descriptor coming in, which will then be used as a tag. On two occasions, he ruled that part of the question out of order. That was on 15 February 2021 and 4 December 2018. Speaker Smith said in relation to this issue being raised, 'I am certainly not comfortable with the language that just makes assertions as it did. I am really not. And those on my left'—the then opposition—'would not be comfortable if that sort of language was directed back at them.'

Government members interjecting—

We don't need commentary from those on my right, either. Language should not be in question. I'm following the practice and the precedent of two former speakers here. On both occasions, Speaker Smith just ruled the questions out of order. I'm not going to do that; I'm going to invite the member, as is my practice to make sure every question remains within the standing orders, just to remove that part of the question and begin his question again.

No, you can't make a comment. Do you wish to make a point of order?

Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party, Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask you to reflect, then, on every question the teal party ask, which, as that previous question did, has a lot of inference on people in this chamber.

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

I thank the member for Page for raising that as a point of order, because I've taken that approach also with members of the crossbench. If you'd like to check the records, on 12 February 2024, 14 February 2023, 20 March 2024, with crossbench questions and other examples, I did invite them to rephrase the question. On a point of order, the Leader of the Opposition?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My point of order is to seek clarification from you as to whether or not it is your ruling that using the word 'weakest' as a description of the government and using the description 'the most incompetent government' is not in order and that you would rule a question out of order if it were to be included as a description of the Albanese government as a preamble, as part of the question or at the end of the question being asked of the government.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To the point of order, I'd like to draw the attention of the House to the difference between the restricted rules that are there under standing orders for questions where there are other terms that would not otherwise be unparliamentary but cannot be included in questions, which is exactly what that ruling goes to.

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

That's correct. I certainly, if that is used as language during question time or that is being used, of course would allow that, but, when it comes to the questions, I'm following the precedent and examples that I've used in question time and that former speakers have used as well. To assist the House, if we can rephrase the question so that we can keep moving forward with question time so everyone's question can be asked and answered, it would greatly assist the House, just as I've done before and in line with former speakers, to ensure that we can ask the question without the imputation added to it.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I thank you for your advice. I do seek a ruling on the standing orders in relation to this matter. I don't believe that there is a case here to be made that using the words 'weakest and most incompetent government since the Whitlam government' are offending the standing orders, and I don't believe it's in order for a ruling on that basis to be made. I'm very happy to assist you, of course, in the orderly conduct of the chamber, but the opposition can't be put into a position where we can't describe the government as we believe they should be described. It's not a personal reflection on the Prime Minister. It's not an inference. It's not an allegation. It is a description of the government. I can recall many instances against the Howard government, against the Rudd government and against the Gillard government where similar language was used and on subsequent occasions ruled in order by the Speaker of the day. If it is the position that you believe it is that you require us to take this course of action, then I'm asking under the standing orders that you make clear that this is a ruling.

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

I've already made my decision.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That this is a ruling?

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

Yes. I already made my decision the last time this was made. I really want question time to continue, as I'm sure all members do. I give the call to the member for Hume.

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

Treasurer, the Albanese government is the weakest and most incompetent since the Whitlam government. Yesterday the RBA governor said, 'When I speak to the Treasurer, he is fully aware of the inflationary implications of his policies. He needs to think about that.' Does this Treasurer accept the governor's claim?

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the last minute or two, we got the perfect illustration of the reckless arrogance of the opposition leader and the comical cluelessness of the shadow Treasurer. In one little vignette in question time, all the reckless arrogance from this guy and all the comical cluelessness from his offsider who sits behind him—

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

The Treasurer is just going to return to the question.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point that the Reserve Bank governor made yesterday, which I welcome because it is 100 per cent consistent with the point that I've made on a number of occasions, is that my major focus—this government's major focus—is the fight against inflation. That's what Governor Bullock said yesterday. Governor Bullock acknowledged again that my main focus and our main focus is fighting inflation. She said, in a way that I'm perfectly comfortable with, that, when I talk privately with the Governor of the Reserve Bank, I make it clear that inflation is our highest priority.

That's not the only point that Governor Bullock made yesterday. She made three major points. That was one of them. In another major point that she made, she reminded those opposite and the country more broadly that, when it comes to inflation, public demand is not the main game. She said that again yesterday. The third important point that was made yesterday by the governor in her press conference and in her statement is that inflation has fallen substantially from its peaks in 2022 and is coming back to target in a reasonable way—another good point made by the Reserve Bank governor.

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

Order, the member for Hume.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If the shadow Treasurer wants to be accurate—it would be the first time, but if he wants to be accurate then he should acknowledge in this place that the Reserve Bank yesterday released new forecasts for inflation where they lowered their forecasts for inflation. Inflation is already back in the target band for the first time since 2021, and the Reserve Bank made it clear with their new forecasts that they expect inflation to be lower than what they had earlier anticipated, and not just in a headline sense but also when it comes to underlying inflation.

I say to the shadow Treasurer, who appears to be chirping away in some kind of incoherent way from over there, that if he's dark about inflation at 2.8 per cent he must have been absolutely furious when he was in office and inflation was 6.1 per cent. Most people in Australia understand, even if the shadow Treasurer doesn't, that 2.8 is smaller than 6.1. Inflation's a bit like golf; you want a lower number, not a higher number. When we came to office, inflation was more than double what it is now. It was much higher and rising; now it is lower and falling, and that's because, as the Reserve Bank governor rightly acknowledged in her comments yesterday, the fight against inflation is our No. 1 priority.