‘Did that just happen?’: Peter Dutton backflips on petrol prices
Peter Dutton has made an extraordinary decision to grill the Prime Minister over one thing, despite his previous opposition.
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Anthony Albanese has received a grilling over a decision to not extend a major cost-of-living relief from an unlikely source.
During question time on Monday, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton took to his feet to ask why the government had ruled out extending the fuel excise cut.
The tax cut was put in place by the previous government to relieve hip pocket pressure at the bowser, but it was always due to expire in September.
Mr Albanese, who has repeatedly said he would not extend the measure, laughed off the question.
“Did that just happen?” Mr Albanese asked.
“I point to the fact that (Mr Dutton) was in the cabinet that put together the budget. It had the end date for the measure he talks about.”
Abandoning its attacks on a decision to scrap the construction watchdog and the CFMEU, the Coalition used question time to quiz the government about the cost-of-living crisis.
Beginning with a question on electricity bills, Mr Dutton and opposition climate spokesman Ted O’Brien attempted to nail Mr Albanese on Labor’s promise for cheaper power prices.
The Prime Minister fired back saying the former government knew before the election prices were going up but “kept Australians in the dark”.
Meanwhile, in the nosebleeds section of the house, former prime minister Scott Morrison took his seat on the back bench for the first time in a decade.
Before proceedings kicked off, Bill Shorten, the only other man in the house to know exactly how Mr Morrison might be feeling, wandered over to greet him.
The former foes shared a firm handshake and a laugh before the NDIS minister returned to his place on the government frontbench.
Mr Morrison, like many other MPs, spent much of question time scrolling on his iPad.
But an attempt by Angus Taylor to skewer the Prime Minister on the official cash rate piqued his interest.
The question harked back to Mr Albanese’s horror first day on the campaign when he could not name the cash rate set by the Reserve Bank.
“The cash rate today is 1.35 per cent,” he said with a knowing smile to cheers on the floor of the house.
“The Reserve Bank said, prior to the election, they foreshadowed interest rate increases.
“If those opposite want to argue that if the government had not changed … interest rates would be the same then they are just kidding themselves.”
Later, Kooyong MP Monique Ryan fired up at Coalition MPs who jeered while she was asking a question about Covid-19 reinfections.
“Put your masks on,” she said, pointing to opposition benches.
Karen Andrews, Michael McCormack, Andrew Gee, Angie Bell, Mark Coulton, Darren Chester, Rowan Ramsey and former speaker Andrew Wallace were the only Coalition MPs to mask up.
That was compared to a majority of Labor MPs and the crossbench.
Health Minister Mark Butler said the government was “encouraging” Australians to be Covid safe.
“In particular, as the member pointed out, to wear masks when indoors and are not able to be socially distant,” Mr Butler said.
Work on the next phase of the government’s response has begun.
“I have already spoken to the Chief Medical Officer to introduce a proposal around long Covid in particular,” Mr Butler said.
Originally published as ‘Did that just happen?’: Peter Dutton backflips on petrol prices
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