Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party, Deputy Chairman , Coalition Policy Development Committee) Share this | Hansard source

No. You can resume your seat and we will get on with it. It is absolutely unbelievable that the Assistant Treasurer reveals now, after more than 40 minutes of questioning, that he is going to take questions on behalf of the Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation. His name is there on the list along with every other minister's name, and this arrogant minister decides not to turn up. And you compound it by not informing this chamber that you are going to answer questions on his behalf. This is absolutely unbelievable. It shows the public the complete lack of respect for the parliament by both of these ministers.

You could have informed this chamber at the start. Were you aware of that at the start, Assistant Treasurer?

See this speech in context