Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. I refer to the Prime Minister's statement when deposing the former Prime Minister, that Australia needed 'a style of leadership that respects the people's intelligence, that explains these complex issues and then sets out the course of action we believe we should take and makes a case for it'. Given that the Prime Minister has been unable to make the case for his increase to the GST, his plan to allow state income tax, his proposal to cut all federal funding to public schools and his own budget plans for superannuation reform, hasn't the Prime Minister spectacularly failed his own test?

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

Senator Watt, that is a very disappointing question, I am bound to say. Senator Watt, I do not know what it is about you Labor Party people; you cannot get above the idea of playing politics rather than engaging in policy. As I said to your colleague Senator Gallagher, give us a debate about public policy, because nobody is pretending there are not hard issues for this country.

You raised four issues, and every one of them was a falsehood—every single one of them. There is no proposal to raise the GST. The only proposal to raise the GST came from the Premier of South Australia, Mr Weatherill, and the Premier of New South Wales, Mr Baird. So that was wrong. You said that there was a proposal for state taxes. That was wrong. You said that there was a proposal to eliminate aid to public schools. That was wrong. You said that the government was not prosecuting its superannuation changes, and that was wrong too. Every single particular that you gave, Senator Watt, in criticism of the Turnbull government was wrong. Maybe that is the answer to why the Labor Party does not want to engage in an honest debate about public policy—because you cannot even address the issues without engaging in either mistaken or deliberate falsehoods. Senator Watt, as a result of the Turnbull government's economic leadership, Australia now has a growth rate of 3.3 per cent—one of the highest rates of growth in the world. It is a rate of growth higher than that of any G7 nation.

Senator Wong interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Wong. You have a colleague on his feet waiting to ask a question. Senator Watt, a supplementary question.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister aware of reports in The Courier-Mail that coalition MPs are working on a plan to propel Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce into government announcements because they are losing faith in the Prime Minister's ability to communicate with Australians? Why does the Prime Minister's own party room have no faith in his style of leadership?

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

The only senior politician who has been propelled lately is the hapless Senator Dastyari over there—Shanghai Sam. Look immediately to your left, Senator Watt. The only politician who has been propelled from the front bench sits right beside you. Senator Watt, the day members of the Australian Labor Party can rise above tittle-tattle and political gossip and engage in serious public policy debate, we will have that debate with you. I have not seen the report in The Courier-Mail;I have not read the report in The Courier-Mail. But I can assure you, Senator Watt, that the Deputy Prime Minister is an esteemed member of our cabinet, and he is extremely welcome at any press conference.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A final supplementary question, Senator Watt.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the Prime Minister has failed to live up to his own tests, is it any wonder that Peta Credlin, the former Prime Minister's chief of staff, says there is absolutely no doubt that Mr Abbott would have won re-election with more than a one-seat majority?

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

You know, Senator Watt, this is the third opposition question today, and I challenged the first two opposition questioners to engage in a serious policy debate, and there you go again. Senator Watt, you are a new senator. I welcome you to the chamber. I am sure we will have a good, cordial relationship, but can I give you a tip? You do not have to read out every silly question given to you by your questions committee—you don't. The next time Senator Wong says, 'Senator Watt, just read this out,' you should say to her, 'Senator Wong, I want to debate policy. I'm not a political hack like so many Labor senators. I'm a serious person with a serious intellect, and I want to ask policy questions.' That is what you ought to do, Senator Watt, because, if you ask policy questions, we can have a debate, and you will get answers. But, until the day comes when you can rise above political gossip, then we will not have that debate.