NewsBite

Frydenberg decides to repeat until the nickname sticks

Persistence is the Morrison strategy behind the question no one had asked — who is more on the side of the Australian people?

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg during question time yesterday. Picture: Kym Smith.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg during question time yesterday. Picture: Kym Smith.

The Morrison government is nothing if not persistent.

Take Josh Frydenberg. After his new nickname for his Labor opponent Jim Chalmers fell flat on Tuesday, he decided repetition was the key. If not to success, then to volume of response.

“We won’t be lectured by Sir Tax-a-Lot over there, Sir Tax-a-Lot,” the Treasurer shouted to roars from Labor.

“Sir Tax-a-Lot”, for the record, is not a reference to American rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot, best known for his 1992 hit Baby Got Back, which contains the lyrics “I like big butts and I cannot lie”.

“Unlike Sir-Tax-a-Lot over there,” Frydenberg continued, “we are not telling the people of our electorates that we are going to put a retiree tax on them, but they are.”

As nicknames go, it could have been worse.

Cue Stuart Robert, the Minister for Government Services, who ­decided to deflect responsibility for his department’s ongoing robo-debt saga like the sun off a fake Rolex.

Robert has dubbed former Labor leader Bill Shorten the “godfather” and former Labor deputy Tanya Plibersek the “godmother” of “income compliance”.

“The member for Sydney and the member for Maribyrnong are the virtual godparents of robo-debt,” he declared.

“A media release dated 29 June, 2011, a joint media release issued by the member for Sydney and the member for Maribyrnong … says that they are data matching to recover millions in welfare dollars.”

Persistence is also the government strategy behind the question no one had asked — who is more on the side of the Australian people? Kevin Hogan, the sometimes-Nat-sometimes-not member for Page, lobbed this Dorothy Dixer from the backbench: “Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the house on who is on the side of Australians in rural and regional Australia who want to see their local communities grow and create more jobs?”

Michael McCormack jumped to his feet, as Labor frontbencher Chris Bowen heckled: “Can we have Fletcher instead?”

“Just for reference,” the Deputy PM said as he leaned into the microphone, “we are on this side and you are on that side … and get used to it!”

“Punters love that. Tell us you won again,” Labor leader Anthony Albanese interjected.

That wasn’t enough to get McCormack off his script, which had somehow veered on to his favourite flavours from the Lismore Ice Cream Factory that was lucky enough to receive a $15 million government grant.

Minister for Regional Services Mark Coulton, right, speaks to Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack. Picture: AAP
Minister for Regional Services Mark Coulton, right, speaks to Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack. Picture: AAP
Mark Coulton during Question Time. Picture: AAP
Mark Coulton during Question Time. Picture: AAP

“We are funding thousands of job-creating opportunities, and I’m not sure about you, but I am pretty partial to Norco’s mango and vanilla,” he announced.

Yet Dixers can also come back to bite as Regional Services, ­Decentralisation and Local ­Government Minister Mark Coulton found out after he claimed: “I don’t think in their term of government they managed to sign one free-trade agreement.” Albanese didn’t hesitate, his theme for the day being honesty: “I just want to give the minister the opportunity to correct the rec­ord … That is a misleading comment and he can fix it up.”

The Speaker informed Albanese that as much as he might like to, he couldn’t give Coulton the call. Instead, the Labor leader had to wait until Coulton received counsel from McCormack, David Littleproud, Barnaby Joyce and dictation from Attorney-General Christian Porter that he should add to his earlier answer after the questions were concluded.

Angus Taylor with Mark Coulton. Picture: Kym Smith
Angus Taylor with Mark Coulton. Picture: Kym Smith

Labor did conclude trade agreements when in office, ­Coulton admitted — agreements that were initiated by the Howard government.

It was a correction worthy of a nod from Scott Morrison as he left the chamber, to which the frontbencher raised his waterglass.

Read related topics:Josh Frydenberg

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/frydenberg-decides-to-repeat-until-the-nickname-sticks/news-story/8e011a2b586ea8ca3e7ef4e372a98d7f