House debates Questions without Notice: Additional Answers
Kalgoorlie Electorate
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
3:34 pm
Mr Speaker, I seek the indulgence of the chair to add to an answer.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
In response to a question from the member for Kalgoorlie about a motion that I have on the Notice Paper about the Nation Building and Jobs program, I can inform the member for Kalgoorlie that the following funding is coming to his electorate: Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program funding, $11.96 million; Black Spot Program funding, $2.67 million; Boom Gates program funding, $2.53 million; and Building the Education Revolution program funding for a total of 166 schools—
Barry Haase Kalgoorlie, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Transport
Mr Speaker, on a point of order, I seek information: how could this be considered in any way to be an addition to an answer?
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
Mr Speaker, without wishing to test the patience of the Speaker, since this lead answer on the projects in Kalgoorlie was not relevant to the question in the first place, how can it be relevant in adding to an answer to a question? The question was why Kalgoorlie was not on the list. It was not about spending in Kalgoorlie. So how can adding to an answer be relevant when answering it in this manner was not relevant in the first place?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Honourable Members:
Harry Jenkins Speaker
Order! The member for Braddon and the Chief Government Whip at this late stage are not helping and I cannot believe everybody is waiting around for this. The member for Kalgoorlie asked a question that was in order. As part of that question he referred to a question on the Notice Paper. That then opens the door for the minister to make references to that motion. I hope that he is now going to conclude his addition to his answer in a very short time period.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
I am, Mr Speaker. The total number of schools in Kalgoorlie benefiting from the Building the Education Revolution is 166. The total number of projects is 426, worth $206 million—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar, Liberal Party
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order.
Harry Jenkins Speaker
The member for Mackellar will resume her seat. I have ruled on the point of order.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar, Liberal Party
I have a different point of order.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
On top of that, the nation-building program is delivering $695 million for Kalgoorlie.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Mackellar, Liberal Party
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order which goes to relevance. The minister, by his adding of material, is implying to the House that Kalgoorlie is in fact on the list. Whether it is on the list or not is what we need to know if he is adding to the answer. Otherwise, he is misleading the House.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Those opposite have a very odd sense of priorities.
Warren Truss Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals
He’s debating the question.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Their obsession is whether or not something is on the list, when there is a billion dollars of funding going into the electorate of Kalgoorlie that they voted against.