Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Conroy, the Minister representing the Treasurer. Why did the government propose an increase in the luxury car tax in advance of the finalisation of the Bracks review of the automotive industry and the Henry review of taxation?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am sorry that those opposite have already run out of questions and are recycling them.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You’ve given the same answer to every question we’ve asked all day!

Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sherry interjecting—

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Absolutely. They have recycled the questions, so we will be forced to talk about the difficult global economic times that we are in. We need to provide sufficient downward pressure on interest rates and on inflation, because Australian families deserve a government who are committed to tackling the highest level of inflation in 16 years, which we inherited. We need a government that will face up to the tough policy decisions on which those opposite, who were in government previously, completely and utterly ran up the white flag. You only need to look at the IMF report that was released to the Financial Review to see the absolute irresponsibility of those opposite. The Rudd government understands the need for responsible budgeting.

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I appreciate that Senator Conroy’s repertoire is not very large, but I invite you to look at standing order 196, which says:

The President … may call the attention of the Senate … to continued irrelevance or tedious repetition, and may direct a senator to discontinue a speech …

Under those circumstances, and given that for the second time today this is exactly the same answer, I invite you to do so.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, Mr President—and I humbly submit there is no point of order—what Senator Conroy is doing is answering the question. The Liberals, on the other side, may not like the answer, but they are obliged to listen to it. I would also humbly submit, Mr President, that what we are also getting is a surplusage—additional colour before they put their point of order. What I would also ask you to do is have a look at the Hansard. If there is a point of order, they should raise it specifically and go to it rather than outline an argument before they take the point of order.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. As I have said previously, I cannot instruct a minister on how to answer a question. Senator Conroy, you have two minutes and 28 seconds in which to respond to and be relevant to the question that was asked by Senator Coonan.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying before that spurious point of order, the Rudd government understands the need for responsible budgeting and investment in the future. It is needed to tackle inflation. We have delivered a strong, $22 billion surplus. We laid the foundations for investment in future productive capacity that will secure our long-term economic prosperity. We delivered a responsible budget that brings spending back under control and takes the pressure off the Reserve Bank, interest rates and inflation. We reined in real growth in government spending to about one per cent.

This responsible long-term economic approach stands in stark contrast to the record of the previous government. Spending grew by four times the amount it was under the Rudd government’s first budget during the former Treasurer’s last four years in the job—four times. This irresponsible spending fuelled inflationary pressures in the Australian economy. Rising inflation puts upward pressure on interest rates, erodes living standards, eats away at savings and threatens our national prosperity. It especially hurts people on fixed incomes, which include the most vulnerable people in our society, such as pensioners and others on support payments.

Under the watch of those opposite, domestic inflation reached 16-year highs. The previous government ignored a series of warnings about the consequences of their reckless spending from Treasury, the Reserve Bank of Australia and the IMF. We continue to feel the effects of those opposite’s willingness to put short-term political interest ahead of the long-term national interest of the Australian economy.

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You said that before.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And we will keep saying it, because that is the legacy of those opposite. (Time expired)

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. The minister talked about the most vulnerable people in society, and my supplementary question—if he could have a go at it, if he could actually deal with it—is: if the government can act on this issue before the Bracks’ review is finalised, why won’t the government immediately provide relief to single age pensioners and support the coalition’s call to immediately increase the single age pension by $30 a week?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The legacy left to the Australian public by those opposite and the former Treasurer is that of reckless spending, 16-year high inflation and 10 straight interest rate rises. The crocodile tears, the interjections from those opposite about ‘don’t care’—you were in government for 11½ years. If you look at the advice of the Treasury and the IMF—

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Minchin interjecting—

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know that the advice of Treasury and the IMF was not something that the former finance minister ever took any notice of. In 2006 Treasury warned—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Conroy, resume your seat! There is not much time left to answer the question, but at least during the time that is left you are entitled to be heard in silence.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In 2006 Treasury warned, before the former Treasurer’s last budget— (Time expired)