Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, what was the benefit to national security of taking television cameras to ASIO headquarters yesterday?

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be silence on my left! The Prime Minister has the call.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I should say that the Director-General of ASIO and other senior officers from ASIO were very, very keen to see those cameras come to ASIO headquarters because it helps to highlight the very important work—

Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why bring the cameras in?

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton will leave under 94(a)!

The member for Moreton then left the chamber.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

that ASIO does to keep our country safe.

I want to say that I have the highest respect and admiration for the work that ASIO does. And I have to say that I am better informed about it, thanks to the classified briefing that I received yesterday after the cameras had long gone. I have the highest respect for the Director-General of ASIO, who commanded our special forces. He was appointed secretary of the Department of Defence by members opposite. He was appointed Ambassador to NATO by members opposite. I have the highest respect for him.

And the suggestion, coming again and again from members opposite, that somehow the Director-General of ASIO, that senior officers of ASIO, would have permitted classified material—

Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not stuck in books, like Spycatcher!

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The members for Chifley and Charlton are both warned!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to be photographed is just ludicrous. The suggestion from members opposite that the Director-General of ASIO would have permitted classified material to be photographed is just ludicrous, and it shows how low—

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Prime Minister did not even approach an answer to that question.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I told you that is not a correct use of the standing orders. I said you would leave under 94(a) if you persisted, and you will. Leave under 94(a)!

Honourable members interjecting—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order with regard to the ruling that you have just made. The member for Isaacs moved a perfectly correct point of order under the relevant standing orders. The Prime Minister was asked what the benefit was to national security of having television cameras in there and he did not address it at all!

The SPEAKER: The member for Grayndler will resume his seat! And the member for Isaacs will leave under 94(a), as I asked him to do!

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have asked you to leave under 94(a)! Do you wish me to name you?

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I wish to apologise.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I allowed that—

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek your—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat!

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do wish to apologise—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I name the member for Isaacs!

Honourable members interjecting—

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the member for Isaacs be suspended from the service of the House.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Sydney will also leave under 94(a) when we have finished this debate!

Honourable members interjecting—

The question is that the motion moved by the member for Sturt be agreed to.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The honourable member for Isaacs is suspended from the service of the House. As this is the honourable member's second suspension this year, the period of suspension is the remainder of this day plus three consecutive sitting days.

The member s for Isaacs and Sydney then left the chamber.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member who has just left the chamber said that he was trying to apologise. I tell you what, Madam Speaker, he should apologise to the Director-General of ASIO. He should apologise to the senior staff of ASIO. I did not take those maps into ASIO. They were maps—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be silence on my left. I know this is the last day of sittings. I know the pent-up frustration that some people get. We will not tolerate a cacophony of noise. The Prime Minister has the call and he will have some silence. The Prime Minister has the call. Oh, his time has expired.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It hasn’t, but anyway.