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

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Can the minister confirm the foreign minister delivered a scathing assessment of the Abbott government's first budget at last night's full ministry meeting which was then leaked to the parliamentary press gallery?

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

No.

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

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer to the confirmation by the foreign minister, who is also the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party and a standing member of the National Security Committee, that the Prime Minister never discussed with her the government's sham competitive evaluation process for our new submarine fleet before it was announced by Senator Edwards. Is this correct?

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

I understand that that which Senator Conroy asserts is not correct. But can I say: talk about sham competitive processes! NBN springs to mind. The Australia Network springs to mind. Senator Conroy would have to be the champion of sham competitive processes. He is shaking his head. I do not think he even pretended it was competitive. It was simply a sham. Of course, that is why Senator Conroy is interested in this matter.

Can I simply indicate that I do not agree with the assertion made by the senator in his question.

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

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Given that the foreign minister has confirmed that she was cut out of a vital national security decision and her budget assessments to her ministry colleagues are now being leaked, can I ask: how is good government going for you?

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

Good government is going exceptionally well for the Australian people. We have got rid of the carbon tax. We have got rid of the mining tax. We have got three free trade agreements. Employment is growing at three times the rate that it was under the Labor government. Retail sales are up. Construction rates are up. There are green shoots all over the Australian economy. After six years of job reduction in the agriculture fishery and forestry sector, so ably represented by Senator Colbeck in this place, we have actually seen jobs growth. In my home state of Tasmania just recently, we had the wonderful announcement of the enhancement of the Freight Equalisation Scheme, a wonderful good news story for my home state of Tasmania.

Senator Conroy interjecting—

Mr President, Senator Conroy has asked for an extension of time, and if he were to move it I would oblige him.