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Tony Abbott suggests the mining industry should demonstrate their gratitude to Ian Macfarlane – politics live Tony Abbott suggests the mining industry should demonstrate their gratitude to Ian Macfarlane – politics live
(35 minutes later)
5.55am BST
05:55
Here it is. The shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, is moving to suspend the standing orders.
Updated
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5.49am BST
05:49
Sounds like we are building up to a suspension here.
Q: Since the government came to office, schools, hospitals and pensions have been cut and the deficit tripled, and now the government is running scared of revealing the 10-year cost of its budget centrepiece. Why is the government delivering the exact opposite of what it promised Australians?
The prime minister is on to what state treasurers think of Bill Shorten. Not much is the short version.
Malcolm Turnbull:
What the leader of the opposition has done – he is presenting Gillard’s unfunded promises with a fresh coat of paint.
They call out “rubbish”, Mr Speaker.
Tonight they will tell us where they will fill in the black hole.
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5.42am BST
05:42
The shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen.
Q: I refer to the prime minister’s repeated claims in previous answers that previous budgets have not outlined 10-year costings. Given the 2014 budget outlined $80bn worth of cuts to schools and hospitals over 10 years, why does not this budget reveal the 10-year cost of his budget centrepiece? And why is the prime minister not honestly explaining to the Australian people the reason why he won’t tell them?
Malcolm Turnbull:
Is that the best you can do? A good question addressed to the shadow treasurer.
The shadow treasurer knows full well ...
Updated
at 5.48am BST
5.32am BST
05:32
Labor persists with company tax cut costings. The prime minister persists with not giving them, for the reasons he’s previously invoked.
5.30am BST
05:30
The Tasmanian independent, Andrew Wilkie, wants to know about public service jobs in Hobart, given the great big efficiency dividend in this year’s budget.
Malcolm Turnbull starts out with a statement that Tasmania’s economic future is not served by hiring more public servants but by the economic activity that will come with the government’s jobs and growth plan. I’m not so sure this is the strongest offering Turnbull could be making in sight of an election – don’t you worry about those public servants – given Tasmania (a bit like Canberra) is chock full of them.
Someone else evidently thinks a correction is in order too, because a brief arrives about the CSIRO and the new ice breaker and 40 full-time jobs. Turnbull changes course.
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5.25am BST
05:25
Bill Shorten again.
Q: Does the prime minister know the Treasury 10-year costing and is simply refusing to say or does he just not know how much the cost of his budget centrepiece will be over 10 years?
That question gets flicked to Scott Morrison. Morrison says the government is sticking with conventional budget practice, just like Labor, which had a policy of not releasing 10-year costings.
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5.21am BST5.21am BST
05:2105:21
A former colleague of mine when we both worked at The Age, Tim Colebatch, has had a stab at the cost in a piece published by Inside Story. As with all his work, it’s very much worth your time. A former colleague of mine when we both worked at the Age, Tim Colebatch, has had a stab at the cost in a piece published by Inside Story. As with all his work, it’s very much worth your time.
Tim says he thinks the cost is $11.5bn a year, rising to $15bn in 2019-20.Tim says he thinks the cost is $11.5bn a year, rising to $15bn in 2019-20.
Tim Colebatch:Tim Colebatch:
We can get an idea of the ultimate cost by applying the 25 per cent tax rate to the expected 2016–17 company tax take. It would cost us (other taxpayers) $11.5 billion a year, rising to $15 billion by 2019–20. That’s more than the entire budget support for universities and TAFEs combined. We can get an idea of the ultimate cost by applying the 25% tax rate to the expected 2016–17 company tax take. It would cost us (other taxpayers) $11.5bn a year, rising to $15bn by 2019–20. That’s more than the entire budget support for universities and TAFEs combined.
It’s almost four times the amount we give in official development aid (which, net of administration costs, will be just $2.9 billion in 2016–17). It’s more than the government will be spending on all transport infrastructure combined. It’s almost four times the amount we give in official development aid (which, net of administration costs, will be just $2.9bn in 2016–17). It’s more than the government will be spending on all transport infrastructure combined.
It’s a big amount to gamble on the hope of a long-term payback.It’s a big amount to gamble on the hope of a long-term payback.
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5.17am BST5.17am BST
05:1705:17
Labor is back to the company tax cuts. Turnbull is asked whether economist Chris Richardson is correct when he says the tax cut will cost $55bn. Labor is back to the company tax cuts. Turnbull is asked whether the economist Chris Richardson is correct when he says the tax cut will cost $55bn.
Turnbull says it depends on what his assumptions are. He might be right, he might not be right, only time will tell. Turnbull says it depends on what his assumptions are. He might be right, he might not be right – only time will tell.
The prime minister says Labor is entitled to ask for these costings, but the government will stick with conventional practice. The prime minister says Labor is entitled to ask for these costings but the government will stick with conventional practice.
Malcolm Turnbull:Malcolm Turnbull:
The medium term projections, also set out in the budget papers, don’t identify the individual line items and they have not and have not been historically provided in the budget papers. The medium-term projections, also set out in the budget papers, don’t identify the individual line items and they have not and have not been historically provided in the budget papers.
What we have done is set out in the budget papers detailed four-year estimates as has always been the case, and then a medium term outlook that sets out what the overall outcome of the budget is likely to be over that ten-year period, recognising the many uncertainties that attend such a long projection. What we have done is set out in the budget papers detailed four-year estimates, as has always been the case, and then a medium-term outlook that sets out what the overall outcome of the budget is likely to be over that 10-year period, recognising the many uncertainties that attend such a long projection.
That has always been the case and what honorable members opposite are asking the government to do is to provide a detailed element in the Treasury’s calculation, which it has never been the practice of the Treasury to provide before.That has always been the case and what honorable members opposite are asking the government to do is to provide a detailed element in the Treasury’s calculation, which it has never been the practice of the Treasury to provide before.
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5.13am BST5.13am BST
05:1305:13
The first Dorothy Dixer is on Neil Prakash.The first Dorothy Dixer is on Neil Prakash.
Malcolm Turnbull:Malcolm Turnbull:
Mr Speaker, the first duty of every government is the safety and security of the Australian public. No government can guarantee the absolute absence of terrorism, but we must not let terror groups like Daesh change us. Mr Speaker, the first duty of every government is the safety and security of the Australian public. No government can guarantee the absolute absence of terrorism but we must not let terror groups like Daesh change us.
We will remain secure and free. We will keep our borders secure and maintain the shared values of freedom and mutual respect for all cultures and faiths that have made ours the most successful multicultural society in the world.We will remain secure and free. We will keep our borders secure and maintain the shared values of freedom and mutual respect for all cultures and faiths that have made ours the most successful multicultural society in the world.
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5.11am BST5.11am BST
05:1105:11
Manager of government business Christopher Pyne has objected to interjections from the former Labor treasurer, Wayne Swan. He says Swan has been swearing profusely. Swan rejects this characterisation. Pyne rises to his feet. The manager of government business, Christopher Pyne, has objected to interjections from the former Labor treasurer Wayne Swan. He says Swan has been swearing profusely. Swan rejects this characterisation. Pyne rises to his feet.
Christopher Pyne:Christopher Pyne:
Mr Speaker, I do not want to repeat the word he was using because that’s exactly what he wants me to do. But he knows... He knows he just told a gross untruth to the House. The word that he used could not possibly be parliamentary. Mr Speaker, I do not want to repeat the word he was using because that’s exactly what he wants me to do. But he knows ... He knows he just told a gross untruth to the House. The word that he used could not possibly be parliamentary.
I’m happy to write the word down for you and hand it to you Mr Speaker. But I will not put it on the Hansard and give him the respect that he’s looking for to have that remark repeated. I’m happy to write the word down for you and hand it to you, Mr Speaker. But I will not put it on the Hansard and give him the respect that he’s looking for to have that remark repeated.
Smith decides to caution Swan, who remains in the House. The Speaker, Tony Smith, decides to caution Swan, who remains in the House.
5.08am BST
05:08
Here is the reference material at budget paper two, page 41. The costings over the four-year cycle, not the 10-year cycle.
Budget paper number two, page 41 #qt pic.twitter.com/SEN60lm0AC
UpdatedUpdated
at 5.20am BST at 5.26am BST
5.04am BST
05:04
Question time
Labor opens today, unsurprisingly, on the 10-year cost of the business tax cuts.
Q: Why did the prime minister make the 10-year plan the centrepiece of his budget when, by his own admission, he hasn’t even asked Treasury to identify the 10-year cost?
Malcolm Turnbull:
The leader of the opposition’s childish efforts this morning, rehearsed now today, overlook the fact that as he well knows the Charter of Budget Honesty Act stipulates the budget papers must contain details of policy and estimates for the budget year and the following three years.
The prime minister now has a different page number for where the costing is in the budget papers. It’s now budget paper number two, page 41.
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4.55am BST
04:55
By the way, this is the last question time of the 44th parliament.
4.47am BST
04:47
Martial arts by meme. What on earth has happened to Bill Shorten’s head?
Bill Shorten needs to explain how his higher taxes are not going to hurt jobs & growth https://t.co/lbq5WvhpBr pic.twitter.com/mZ07FlZhM4
The other day I described something as “dank” to my 17-year-old. She looked at me in total disgust. “Never say that again, Mum,” was the advice. I tried to tell her that’s what old people now say in an effort to look hip. She left the room.
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4.39am BST
04:39
If you are wondering why I’m light on for Magic Mike this morning, he’s tied up with a task. He’s back through the course of this afternoon and evening – and of course we’ll go right through til stumps on the budget in reply speech. All aboard the black hole express. Question time is just over the horizon, crouching tiger, hidden dragon. Soon there’ll be martial arts in the tree line.
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4.26am BST
04:26
Back to black holes. Just some free advice: if you are going to go the black hole, it’s best if you first cover up your own. Pro tip.
Someone should give me a job in a ministerial office.
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at 4.36am BST
4.22am BST
04:22
Paul Karp
Back in Senate estimates, the Greens LGBTI spokesman, Senator Robert Simms, has been asking the attorney general, George Brandis, about the marriage equality plebiscite, for which Brandis said plans are “well advanced”.
Brandis has ruled out suspending anti-discrimination laws for the same-sex marriage plebiscite campaign, as the Australian Christian Lobby managing director, Lyle Shelton, has advocated.
Brandis pointed out there were “very obvious practical problems with that – among them that most anti-discrimination laws in this country are laws of the states, not the commonwealth”.
Officials confirmed the plebiscite was expected to cost $160m, to come out of contingency funds. Brandis said no decision had been made about whether to give public funding to the “yes” and “no” campaigns but if there were, “of course, both sides would be entitled to equal treatment”.
Asked if ACL would get public funding, Brandis said “not necessarily” and who received funding would be determined after a decision was made to give it.
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4.19am BST
04:19
Cormann is reminded quite correctly that the government is “rightly critical” about Labor’s 10-year spending commitments, so why doesn’t that same principle apply to the 10-year company tax cut commitment in the budget?
We are back to the medium term.
Updated
at 4.31am BST
4.17am BST
04:17
Phil Coorey from the Australian Financial Review is over today’s fan dance. He asks if it doesn’t insult the intelligence of voters when the major parties, both the Coalition and Labor, conflate various costings and pump up black hole figures 0n budget day and on budget-in-reply day?
Q: Doesn’t it insult the intelligence of voters that you are giving numbers that don’t stack up? You are doing it to Labor.
Mathias Cormann:
Don’t let Labor off the hook. Increased spending which is not funded leads to increased taxes, which hurts jobs and growth.
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at 4.30am BST
4.13am BST
04:13
Q: Minister, if treasury has done them and you know them, why can’t you tell us what they are?
Mathias Cormann:
As I just indicated to you, the costings are released in the budget papers in the usual way.
Q: Over 10 years?
Mathias Cormann:
I see on the day of the budget reply you don’t seem to be all that interested in the fact that there is a $62bn budget black hole in Labor’s costings.