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

My question is to the Prime Minister: Why is the government knowingly putting at risk every ministerial decision and every ministerial action being taken by ministers who have responsibility for regional development, regional communications, local government, resources, territories, agriculture, water resources and northern Australia? How can the Prime Minister act so recklessly on the arrogant basis that he knows what the High Court will so hold?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over the last two weeks, all we've heard from the opposition is their plans to create trouble and chaos, so they've said in the House of Representatives.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr Hammond interjecting—

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh, yes, you all have. That's what you all said to do: try to create chaos in the parliament. We've read it every day. We've read about your cunning plans to create mayhem in the House of Representatives. We haven't heard anything about the first ever national strategy to protect Australians from terrorism in crowded places. We haven't heard anything from the Labor Party about that. That's what we have set out.

We haven't heard any support at all for our drug-testing trials. We believe welfare money should not be spent on drugs and alcohol. So do most Australians, and so does anybody that cares about somebody who is in the grip of alcoholism or substance abuse. But the Labor Party won't support us on that. We have heard snide remarks, backtracking and hedging on the cashless welfare card, which has meant that, in the communities where it has operated to date, we have seen a dramatic reduction in alcohol abuse, in substance abuse, in domestic violence, in public violence. We've done that. We've rolled that out.

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. Has the Prime Minister concluded his remarks?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have.