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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister guarantee that cash payments will not be made to the 78 Sri Lankans as an incentive to leave the Oceanic Viking?

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Macklin interjecting

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would say in response to the honourable member’s question—

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

Order! The Prime Minister will resume his seat.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would ask the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to withdraw that slur against the member for Warringah, who asked a perfectly satisfactory question.

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

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

The minister has withdrawn the remark. The Prime Minister.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank very much the member for Warringah for his question, as it comes straight out of the Ronaldson textbook. The Ronaldson textbook is about this: never debate policy; only get into stereotyping. That is what this debate is all about. The Ronaldson textbook also said—and remember it is issued by the office of the Leader of the Opposition—do not debate policy, because there is no good politics in it; only engage in stereotyping, because there is lots of good politics in that; and also target special interest groups and make good taxpayers angry. That is what the member for Warringah is on about in asking this question.

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

Order! The Prime Minister will resume his seat.

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

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order on relevance. I have asked a very simple, very straightforward and very reasonable question and I think it should be answered by the Prime Minister.

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

Order! The member for Warringah will resume his seat. The Prime Minister will respond to the question.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, can I also respond to the honourable member’s question by saying that the individuals who are on the Oceanic Viking are currently on the vessel waiting for processing onshore and their status has not been determined. The honourable member asks whether they are now going to be in receipt of Australian payments. They will not be in receipt of any payments from Australia, as I am advised. Further, I would say to the honourable member and those opposite that under the previous government temporary protection visa holders were able to access many welfare payments. These included: special benefit paid at the same rate as unemployment benefits; family tax benefit paid by the Howard government to holders of temporary protection visas; the baby bonus paid to temporary protection visa holders under the Howard government; the childcare benefit paid to temporary protection visa holders under the Howard government; the maternity immunisation allowance paid to temporary protection visa holders under the Howard government; and the double orphan pension and rent assistance payment paid to holders of temporary protection visas under the Howard government.