MPs return during first sitting week of new Liberal leadership

The first question of question time has come from Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, who has asked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese if he will take responsibility for falling standards of living compared to other countries.

The prime minister started by attacking the Coalition for not asking questions on the economy in the past two sittings of question time, before sledging shadow treasurer Tim Wilson for performing a rendition of Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire attacking Treasurer Jim Chalmer’s budget management shortly just before question time began, which he described as a “human rights issue for all those who had to listen to it”.

“They always pull Australia down. Australia, which has faster economic growth the Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK or the United States. The UK and Germany have recently experienced recessions. Mr. Speaker, Australia has a lower unemployment rate than Canada, France, Italy, the UK and the United States,” Albanese said.

“We have stronger employment growth than Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. Higher participation rates than Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and the UK and unlike G7 nations, Australia’s budget has been in surplus in recent years.”