Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Treasurer being censured for misleading this House by stating in Question Time yesterday that he “cannot confirm” the appointment of Mr Bracks to head a major review of the Car Industry or that his own department had recommended that the Productivity Commission be appointed to conduct the inquiry in circumstances when:

(a)

he was fully aware of that appointment;

(b)

he had, in fact, attended a meeting of the Strategic Budget Committee of Cabinet on 30 January 2008 when the appointment was agreed; and

(c)

he had received and disregarded Treasury advice that the review should instead be conducted by the Productivity Commission.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about accountability and transparency?

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The honourable member for North Sydney will get transparency.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

Question put.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion. So much for accountability—

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. This is the second occasion that you have called a member from the opposition side where the microphones have not been on. I would ask you to ask the attendants, or the people responsible to do it, to make sure that the microphones—

Mr Melham interjecting

The honourable member for North Sydney will resume his seat. There are often times when people in the chair would like to have control over the microphones, and they would probably be off all the time. I acknowledge the point that has been raised by the member for North Sydney. I have been taking proceedings on the basis of who I have given the call to, and that means that that is appropriate. Hopefully Hansard will have a record of what went on, and I am sure that those who need to be advised about flicking the switch will flick the switch, and the honourable member for Banks is an early candidate to go and assist. If somebody can remind me where I was, I think we have a motion that the member be no longer heard.

Question put.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question now is that the motion for the suspension of standing and sessional orders be agreed to.

A division having been called and the bells being rung—

Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. If this grave matter were held on a Friday sitting, this could not take place, I take it. There would be no—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not a point of order. It might be an observation, but it is not a point of order.

Original question put:

That the motion (Mr Turnbull’s) be agreed to.