Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Rudd must be confident about his numbers. My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Conroy. Can the Minister assure the Senate and the Australian people that the government, of which he is a member, is united and cohesive?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Once again, those opposite have an opportunity to take advantage of the democratic process in this country—question time—and they could ask about any topic that they want, but as always they want to go the low road. They could ask, 'How robust is Australia's economic growth and performance?' and they would be told that we are the envy of the Western world. They could ask, 'What have you done in the health area?' and they would be told that we have significant reforms for more doctors, more nurses and more bed time. They could be asking about education; they could have the opportunity to support the single biggest reform in education—

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I ask you whether this is directly relevant to the question.

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

There is no point of order.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They could ask a question about the levels of debt in this country, because they like to talk about it all the time, and they would be told that we have one of the lowest net debt ratios to GDP in the OECD. They could ask about our credit rating and they would be told that we have a AAA credit rating across all three of the agencies. They could ask about the unemployment rate and they would find out that we are at 5.5 per cent, well below the OECD average. They could ask about job creation. Those vandals over there were happy to see 200,000 Australians thrown on to the scrap heap, onto the dole, but this government stood firm during the global financial crisis and supported Australian families. We have, according to the February— (Time expired)

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I note the question was completely avoided. Was it the low road for Mr Bob Hawke to say: 'If you can't govern yourselves, you cannot govern Australia'? Does the minister agree? Given the continuing chaos and dysfunction of the government and the instability and uncertainty surrounding the Prime Minister's continuing tenure in her high office and, hence, the tenure of all her ministers, how can the government claim to be putting the interest of all Australian people before its own?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This government is absolutely focused on delivering for Australian families; absolutely focused on addressing the real issues. That is why we are building the National Broadband Network. That is why we have created DisabilityCare, a national disability insurance scheme. That is why we are building a world-class education system through the National Plan for School Improvement. That is why we are focused on creating 950,000 jobs since we came to office, despite 28 million jobs being lost world wide. That is why we are keeping downward pressure on inflation, at 2.5 per cent, below the 10-year average of 2.8 per cent. That is why, because of the economic policies that we are focused on— (Time expired)

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Let's see if we can get an answer to this one: does the minister have any conception of how incompetent and untrustworthy he and his colleagues appear to Australian families in their self-interested manoeuvrings over the government's leadership? Does the minister understand that the Australian people deserve to be properly led by a competent and trustworthy government that keeps its promises, does what it says and always puts the interests of all Australians first?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those opposite introduced Work Choices with no notice to the Australian public. Mr Abbott cut health funding massively, after looking down the barrel of a camera and saying, 'I won't do it. I won't do it.'

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not true.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is true, Senator Fierravanti-Wells, because Mr Abbott was asked about it after the 2004 election. What do you think Mr Abbott said? 'I did think about resigning over that one, because, you know, I clearly got rolled in cabinet later. But, no, I decided to stay in the government.' You have got Mr Tony Abbott, who stared down the barrel of a TV camera and said, 'No, I will never do this, will never do this, while I am the health minister.' So, do not come in here—the party, with John Howard, that supported carbon pricing, the party that, during the election campaign in 2007, campaigned for carbon pricing, and the party that continues to want to bring back— (Time expired)