Tony Windsor (New England, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the National Party and relates to a story in today’s Land newspaper headed ‘Nats push for line parity’. Is the Deputy Prime Minister aware that my constituent Mr Wacker Williams from Inverell—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The member for New England has the call.

Tony Windsor (New England, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I will repeat that. Is the Deputy Prime Minister aware that my constituent Mr Wacker Williams moved a motion at the New South Wales Nationals annual conference in Ballina last weekend—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The member for New England is asking his question. He will be heard.

Tony Windsor (New England, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the Deputy Prime Minister aware that my constituent Mr Williams moved a motion at the New South Wales Nationals annual conference in Ballina last weekend that called on the National Party to guarantee that there will be no differential pricing between urban and country phone—

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

On a point of order, Mr Speaker: you have previously ruled out of order questions that relate to party political matters purely and simply, and this question is dealing precisely with those issues and is totally out of order.

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

I am listening closely to the member for New England. His question, I believe, is about line rental. I call the member for New England and ask him to come to his question.

Tony Windsor (New England, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question does relate to the National Party motion moved last weekend in Ballina arguing for guarantees that there will be no differential pricing between urban and country phone, fax and internet line rental charges. Could the Deputy Prime Minister explain to the House why his party is calling for these guarantees—

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

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: you did say you would listen to the member’s question, and I would refer you to page 538 of the Practice, where it says, ‘Speakers rule out of order’—

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

The member for New England is moving very close to referring to party matters. He will come to his question or I will sit him down.

Tony Windsor (New England, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question relates to line rentals, Mr Speaker. Why is there a call for these guarantees when the government has said previously in this House and to the National Farmers Federation that future pricing parity for both basic telephone and broadband services is enshrined in legislation? Will the Deputy Prime Minister inform the House in which legislative instrument the guarantee is enshrined and why he appears not to have informed his National Party members?

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

The last part of that question is not in order, but I call the Deputy Prime Minister for the rest of the question.

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

I thank the honourable member for New England for his question. I am well aware of the concerns of Mr Williams from Inverell, and he was at the conference. We actually had a lengthy discussion about the government’s policy on telecommunications and the commitments that the government made last year when we passed that legislation through this place. As you would expect, and as you know very well, Mr Williams is a great advocate for himself and his peers in business in the area of Inverell—

Government Member:

And the National Party.

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

and the National Party, seeing it has been mentioned. I assured Mr Williams that the government would continue to implement the policies that we announced last year that would look after the interests of regional Australians as far as telecommunications services are concerned.