Mr BEAZLEY (Leader of the Opposition) (3:11 PM) —Mr Speaker, may I briefly have your indulgence to congratulate the member for Werriwa, Chris Hayes, on his election. All of us on this side of the House are delighted to see you here and look forward to your companionship over the years.

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his statements reported in the Australian on 30 April: ‘I am not planning to go anywhere’, ‘Prime Ministers get interested in budgets too, you know’ and ‘This is, in a way, my 16th budget.’ Why did the Prime Minister create disunity during the preparation of the Australian budget? What national interest was served by him belittling and taunting the Treasurer just 10 days before budget day?

Mr HOWARD (Prime Minister) —Let me merely say to the Leader of the Opposition that I think I have answered a few questions on this subject and I do not intend to add to them, except to invite him to come here at 7.30 tonight and hear the Treasurer deliver his budget. It will be delivered by a man who I regard as the best Treasurer Australia has ever had.