Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to revelations today that lawyers working for the Prime Minister's royal commission personally coached the disgraced Kathy Jackson about the issues on which she would be examined. Is the Prime Minister concerned that this special treatment only confirms that his royal commission has been nothing more than a political exercise from the start?

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

The Prime Minister is not responsible for the operations of the royal commission, and therefore it is not possible for him to answer this question.

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my left will cease interjecting. I have not called the member for Watson—I am not going to call him while there are interjections.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, Mr Speaker: to claim that the Prime Minister is not responsible for a royal commission is an extraordinary statement. It is right and proper as a creature of the executive and the executive-determined body for questions of this nature to be directed to him.

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

On the point of order, Mr Speaker: if the Manager of Opposition Business were aware of the way government works he would know that royal commissions operate by royal warrant. There is absolutely no basis for the Prime Minister's responsibility whatsoever.

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The members on my left will cease interjecting! The member for Moreton is warned. The member for McMahon will cease interjecting. Certainly the first part of the question went to matters for which the Prime Minister is not responsible. I am going to give the member for Gorton an opportunity to rephrase the question.

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

Could he ask the Queen?

Tony Smith (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.

Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to revelations today that lawyers working for the royal commission established by this government coached the disgraced Kathy Jackson about the issues on which she would be examined. Is the Prime Minister concerned that this special treatment only confirms that the royal commission has been nothing more than a political exercise from the start?

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

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Now the member is asking for a legal opinion from the Prime Minister. It is not my fault they cannot get their questions right, and it is not your fault, Mr Speaker, but they are supposed to be in the premier parliament of the nation and therefore they should be expected to get their questions right. Perhaps they could come back tomorrow when they have done a bit more homework?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, Mr Speaker: it would be an absurd situation if they were allowed to ask questions about the royal commission and we were not. That is exactly what the Leader of the House is asking to happen.

Honourable members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The members on my left and right will cease interjecting. I ask the member for Gorton to rephrase the question.

Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did rephrase it.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not think it was a thorough rephrase—

Opposition members interjecting—

I am not going to rule on this matter with constant interjections—or the member for Gorton will not be here to rephrase the question. After the member for Melbourne moved his motion I gave the call to the opposition when it was the government's turn. I am keen for question time to move on and I am going to give the call to the member for Wannon. Then I will come back to the member for Gorton if he is prepared to rephrase his question.