Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question without notice is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. Following the disastrous result for the Liberals in the Victorian election on Saturday, Treasurer Frydenberg denied that the Liberal leadership chaos played a role, arguing that the election 'was a state election run on state issues'. The Victorian Liberal Senator Jane Hume said 'there is no doubt that the incidents in Canberra in August will inevitably have had an effect on the state result tonight'. Minister, who is correct—Treasurer Frydenberg or Senator Hume?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They are both correct. That is because they are both distinguished, high-performing members of the Liberal team. In case it escaped Senator Carr's notice, it was a state election. In Victoria on the weekend we had a state election. We wish our team had done better, but the result is as it is and we respect the verdict of the Victorian people in that state election. As I have also observed today, of course the events of a few months ago at the federal level didn't help, but certainly all the feedback that we had from our supporters at polling booths was that this was, predominantly, a state election fought on state issues. That doesn't mean to say that as a government at the federal level we won't listen carefully. Of course we will listen very carefully to what people in Victoria have told us and we'll continue to refine the way that we move forward. That's something that we have a responsibility to do.

In the end, our focus is on making sure that Australians today and into the future have the best possible opportunity to get ahead. That is why, having inherited a weakening economy from Labor, having inherited rising unemployment from Labor, having inherited a rapidly deteriorating budget position from Labor, what we have done over the last five years is work hard to ensure that Australians today and into the future have the best possible opportunity to get ahead on the back of a stronger economy—more jobs—and indeed to get the budget back into a stronger and improving position into the future. We have a responsibility. We're very conscious of the responsibility we have to the Australian people to ensure that our agenda can continue to be implemented beyond the next election, federally, and we will do everything we can to learn the lessons at the federal level from the Victorian state election.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr, a supplementary question?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Hunt has also tried to argue the result has nothing to do with the performance of the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government, while the Victorian Liberal MP, Mr Tim Wilson, has said 'you can go on saying this has got no federal implications, but, sorry, it's not true'. Who is correct—Minister Hunt or Mr Wilson?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They're both correct and they're both entitled to their opinion. We know that Senator Carr, who has a background of liking socialist, dictatorial, authoritarian systems, might want to be in charge of a system with thought police, where everybody is prevented from expressing a view. On our side of parliament, it's self-evident that, after an election in a state like the great state of Victoria on the weekend, there'll be a conversation inside our party. It's a conversation where people are entitled to express their view. The conversation that takes place will help us to be an even stronger and better government than we otherwise would be. The Australian people very much need us to win the next election because Mr Shorten, as Prime Minister, would make Australia weaker and Australians poorer.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr, a final supplementary question?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Victorian Liberal President, Mr Michael Kroger, has said that former Prime Minister Turnbull's removal had been very disorderly and that 'obviously the federal issue hasn't helped us'. Does Mr Morrison support Mr Kroger's position?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think you'll find that the Prime Minister, myself and others have made similar observations. It's a matter of public record that leadership transitions are not popular, and they're difficult. That was a difficult week, and it was a difficult issue for the government. That's not something we've shied away from. Our focus is on doing the best job we can to promote the best interests of the Australian people. Labor goes to the next election promising to increase taxes by $200 billion, which will make Australia weaker and Australians poorer. Our focus will be on helping Australians get ahead by helping to ensure that the businesses that employ them have the best possible opportunity to be successful into the future.