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

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his previous answer. Will the Prime Minister guarantee that none of the staff of the member for Robertson who provided statutory declarations about the 6 June Iguana bar incident were placed under any pressure to do so?

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

Order! I would have to rule that out of order—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

On the basis of what I read to the member for North Sydney, that is out of order.

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

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: are you offering me the opportunity to reword it?

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

No.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Families, Community Services, Indigenous Affairs and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. Obviously I am happy to accept your ruling, but Speakers have often given ministers and prime ministers an opportunity to answer questions which are technically out of order and I suggest that you might offer the Prime Minister that opportunity now.

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

The member for Warringah will resume his seat. Of course that is true, but it is at the discretion of the Speaker.

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

Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order. The beginning of the question from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition referred to the Prime Minister’s previous answer. The answer was in relation to his office. The area he failed to answer was in relation to other ministers and their staff, and he as the Prime Minister has to be held accountable.

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

The member for North Sydney will resume his seat.

Dick Adams (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Put him out!

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

It is obvious that the member for North Sydney is not on the member for Lyons’s Christmas card list! The member for North Sydney made a good try at trying to convince me but I am not convinced.