House debates Questions without Notice
Prime Minister
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services, Housing, Youth and Women
2:42 pm
My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. I refer the minister to his recent official four-page newsletter, circulated to voters in his electorate of Wentworth, boasting about the government’s environmental credentials. Can the minister explain why this newsletter does not once mention the Prime Minister by name nor make—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Members:
Government members interjecting—
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services, Housing, Youth and Women
Shall I start again, Mr Speaker?
David Hawker Speaker
The member for Sydney has the call and the member for Sydney will be heard.
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services, Housing, Youth and Women
Can the minister explain why this newsletter does not once mention the Prime Minister by name or make any reference to the Howard government?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar, Liberal Party
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Standing order 98(c) says that this is not a matter which is associated with any of the minister’s official duties at all and is quite out of order.
David Hawker Speaker
The question relates to a publication by the minister. The question is in order. I call the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources.
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
I thank the honourable member for the question, and I am glad that she pays attention to my newsletter—
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
It’s a good newsletter.
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
It is a very good newsletter; the Prime Minister agrees with that. It is a newsletter by me as the local member, and naturally it focuses on me.
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services, Housing, Youth and Women
Mr Speaker, I think the Prime Minister wanted me to table it.
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services, Housing, Youth and Women
Excellent. I seek leave to table the newsletter.
Leave granted.