Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Farrell. Yesterday during question time the Minister for Finance said: 'The fact is stage 3 tax cuts have been legislated by this chamber. They are in place. Stage 3 will commence in July next year. The policy we took to the election was that those tax cuts remain, and our position has not changed. That is what I was saying yesterday and that continues to be our position.' Minister, does Mr Albanese, the Prime Minister, remain committed to implementing the stage 3 tax cuts?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Chandler.

With all due respect to Senator Birmingham, I am quite capable of answering my own questions and don't need his—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left!

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I find it difficult to understand why the coalition—this is the second question today that you've asked basically asking the same question that was answered yesterday. Would you be surprised, Senator Chandler, if the Prime Minister, who's doing a wonderful job, had any different view about tax cuts than the finance minister?—who's doing an amazing job, given the mess that you left her to—

Yes! I'd forgotten about that. At least we have a finance minister who is trusted by his—

Well, they trust him, too.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, a senator is on her feet. Senator Chandler?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a point of order on relevance. It was a very specific question, and the minister has been going for 93 seconds now. It does require just a one-word answer, if he could provide it.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister is being relevant. Thank you, Senator Chandler. Please continue, Minister Farrell.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, can I say to Senator Chandler: if you want to answer my questions, then there's no point in you asking the questions to me. You might as well answer them yourself. But look, you've asked the same question to me that you asked to Senator Gallagher yesterday— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chandler, a first supplementary question?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday in question time the Minister for Finance also said: 'Our position on tax cuts hasn't changed, but we are in the position of having to repair a budget.' Can the Prime Minister guarantee that his government's policy in relation to stage 3 tax cuts will not change in the future?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): Thank you, Senator Chandler, for your supplementary question. Again, you've got the answer, because the finance minister, who's in charge of this area, answered the question yesterday. You've referred to the issues that Senator Gallagher raised yesterday. Can I expand on the financial mess that we discovered when we came to government? Can I just report on one fact that puts this into perspective? When Labor lost power in 2013, our national debt was $300 billion. When we came to power almost 12 months ago, that figure had blown out to $1 trillion. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chandler, second supplementary?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, why can't you be honest with the Australian people and admit now that you won't be implementing the stage 3 tax cuts?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Chandler for her question. Honesty! We're talking about honesty! Why didn't the former Prime Minister of this country tell us that he replaced five ministers of the former government? I think we've discovered it might even be six, and you dare to talk about honesty! What Prime Minister Albanese says, he does. When he said he was going to put downward pressure on—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left! Your leader is on his feet.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I'm afraid Senator Farrell is misleading the chamber. If the Prime Minister does what he says, where are the $275 tax cuts?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please continue, Minister Farrell.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I reject that point of order.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He didn't even get to the point-of-order stage, Minister! Please continue.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm not sure why they're all so happy today. What are you happy about? (Time expired)