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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm this statement by the member for Blair? I quote the statement from this transcript: ‘And when the person who moves the motion on the Liberal side is the Prime Minister’s representative on the state executive, and when the president of the party is appointed with the Prime Minister’s imprimatur’—

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

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Once again, the Leader of the Opposition is going down the route of falling foul of standing order 98(c). Once again, he is going to be questioning about party political matters, which has nothing to do with the responsibility of portfolio matters and is out of order.

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

I thank the member for Mackellar. I will listen carefully to the Leader of the Opposition’s question before ruling on the point of order.

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

I repeat: this is a question to the Prime Minister, not the Deputy Prime Minister. It refers to matters which pertain directly to his government. I am asking him whether or not he can confirm this statement by the member for Blair about those matters pertaining to his government and its unity. I quote: ‘And when the person who moves the motion on the Liberal side is the Prime Minister’s representative on the state executive, and when the president of the party is appointed with the Prime Minister’s imprimatur, I think people who are sitting around that table are entitled to expect that those moves have been done with his full knowledge and concurrence.’ Prime Minister, were you part of this plot to destroy the National Party and is that the reason you kept the Deputy Prime Minister in the dark?

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

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: the House of Representatives Practice makes it quite clear that precedent in this House is that questions asked of people about the business of parties are totally out of order. That is what that question is about.

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

I thank the member for Mackellar.

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

Mr Speaker, this goes directly to the question of the unity of the government. Since time immemorial, or at least since the Federation of these states was created, this parliament has dealt with those matters.

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

The Leader of the Opposition will not debate his question.

Bob McMullan (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to speak to the point of order raised by the member for Mackellar.

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

The member for Fraser will not debate the point of order.

Bob McMullan (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am entitled to speak to it, Mr Speaker.

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

No, the member for Fraser will not debate the point of order.

Bob McMullan (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Then I will raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.

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

The member for Fraser wishes to raise a point of order?

Bob McMullan (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Mackellar is quite wrong—

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

The member for Fraser will resume his seat. The member for Fraser will not debate a point of order. I remind the member for Fraser that, when a member raises a point of order, it is for the chair to rule on that point of order.

Bob McMullan (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am entitled to speak to it. What is the precedent that says I am not allowed to speak to a point of order?

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

If the member for Fraser wishes to raise a point of order, he may raise a point of order, but he is not entitled to debate a point of order. I call the member for Fraser if he wishes to raise a point of order.

Bob McMullan (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is that the point of order raised by the member for Mackellar is quite erroneous—

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

The member for Fraser will resume his seat. He is debating the point of order, and I will rule on the point of order. The member for Mackellar raises a valid point of order. Clearly, the practice, as she has pointed out, is that that question is outside the guidelines.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order relating to standing order 98. The question asked by the Leader of the Opposition is clearly in order. It went to the heart of the government and the reasons why the Prime Minister kept the Deputy Prime Minister in the dark. It also referred to—

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

The member for Grayndler will resume his seat. The member for Grayndler is debating the point of order. Does he have another point of order?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Mr Speaker. The question by the Leader of the Opposition also went to the Prime Minister’s representative on the Queensland state executive.

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

The member for Grayndler will resume his seat and I will rule on his point of order. Previous occupants of the chair have ruled that questions relating to party matters are not acceptable. Therefore, I uphold the point of order.

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

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: this is a serious matter now in this place. I have been here even longer than your good self, Mr Speaker, and so has the Prime Minister. I have sat through endless question times when both sides have been in government, in which, when there has been a matter relating to the unity of government that is a product of what is going on inside a political party and that directly relates to the actions of a minister, to wit, the Prime Minister in this instance, there have been questions here. It is shutting down accountability if we cannot ask this question.

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

I respect the experience of the Leader of the Opposition in the chamber, and I again say I will uphold the ruling I have given. I point out to the Leader of the Opposition that there are other forms by which governments can be held accountable.