Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Hansard source

Under standing order 51, I wish to raise a matter of privilege. Mr Deputy Speaker Scott, to me this matter represents a prima facie case of breach of privilege, and I ask you to ask the Speaker to take the appropriate action to give precedence to a motion to refer this matter to the Privileges Committee. Repeatedly in this House in the last sitting weeks, the Prime Minister, the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Minister for Education and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry have sought to denigrate members of the opposition who support projects, grants or programs that are available to organisations, groups, associations or businesses in their own electorates.

As you know, Mr Deputy Speaker, members of parliament have a duty to represent their voters. Community groups and others expect their local MPs and other local representatives to write letters of support, to seek appointments with ministers, to meet with ministers and to lobby on behalf of their community organisations, their sporting groups, their local associations and local businesses to support job, infrastructure and other grants and programs that go into our electorates. That is true for members on both sides of the House, whether we are Liberal, Labor, National or even Independent.

Members of the opposition are being hindered in doing so. They are being inhibited from doing their work because of the personal denigration by members of the government—

See this speech in context