Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

There is some importance in consistency in economic policy. We note that has been somewhat lacking of late from those on the other side. We have seen, as I said, not only Ms Bishop criticising Mr Hockey but also Mr Turnbull. Ms Bishop is understood to have said, ‘We shouldn’t forget who we are as a party when it comes to running a populist line on rate rises.’ This is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, of course, talking about the shadow Treasurer. But what was even more telling was what Mr Abbott did or did not do earlier today. Earlier today, Mr Abbott on three occasions was asked whether he backed in Mr Hockey and backed in Mr Hockey’s plan, and on three occasions he declined to do so. What does that say about consistency on the other side? It has not quite got to the stage of the Howard-Costello fight that we are seeing played out, but what we are seeing is complete confusion in the opposition about what their policy is. (Time expired)