Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade. I refer the Deputy Prime Minister to his response to news of a merger between the Queensland Nationals and Liberal Party, reported in the Australian today:

I am just getting across the decisions made in Queensland today.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I take a point of order. That question does not fall within the confines of the standing orders. The minister is being asked questions for which he is not ministerially responsible. It should be ruled out of order.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Mackellar for her point of order. I am listening closely to the question of the Leader of the Opposition. I would ask him to come to a question relating to the minister’s responsibilities.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As you would be aware, Mr Speaker, I am quoting from a statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister today. This is the one forum we have to ask him those questions. Given that the Prime Minister has known about this merger for two weeks, why wasn’t the Deputy Prime Minister in the loop?

Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I half expected a question from the Leader of the Opposition on this issue today. If he had cared to read on, in other comments I made today I also reflected on and referred to the incredible strength of the coalition here in Canberra and the benefits that have been delivered to 20 million Australians over the 10 years we have been in office. All the Leader of the Opposition needs to worry about is whether the numbers on this side of the House are going to remain the same. They are greater than the numbers on that side of the House. The Liberal and National parties will maintain strong and stable government in Australia, as we have done over the last 10 years. I would respectfully suggest that the Leader of the Opposition cast a wary eye behind him at his factional warriors. They did not quite get the member for Hotham, but they got the member for Corio, they got the member for Maribyrnong, and now Bill Shorten has come in and they have the member for Lalor ready to go. So if I were the Leader of the Opposition I would not worry too much about the Liberal and National parties; I would be worried about the Australian Labor Party.