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

My question is to the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth. I refer to the promise made by the Prime Minister before the election that ‘the government accepts all of Mr Orgill’s recommendations’ in relation to the school hall stimulus program and ‘if re-elected the government will work to implement each of these recommendations, including transparency’. Given that promise, when will the government publish all school hall costing data as recommended by the Orgill report?

Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. The honourable member should be aware that the Prime Minister has allocated the administration of Building the Education Revolution to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, Senator Evans, and that in this chamber Senator Evans is represented by my colleague the Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government on matters relating to jobs, the BER—which is an economic stimulus measure—and workplace relations. So you have made a mistake by asking the wrong person the question.

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. Somebody from the government should inform the clerks of that because in fact, according to this record provided to me by the Clerk, the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, the Hon. Peter Garrett AM MP, represents Senator the Hon. Chris Evans in this House.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! We are going to have a bit of trouble about the new paradigm when an old paradigm—such as the Speaker being on his feet so you are supposed to be quiet—is not taken any notice of. But we will deal with that. Yesterday ‘Second Gillard ministry—14 September 2010’ was tabled and it has: ‘Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations’ and under ‘Minister’ Senator the Hon. Chris Evans and under ‘Other Chamber’ the Hon. Simon Crean. It then says the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, the Hon. Peter Garrett, is represented in the other chamber by Senator the Hon. Chris Evans.

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

Mr Speaker, I hate to disagree with you but this table that I am reading says the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, Senator the Hon. Chris Evans is represented in the other chamber by the Hon. Simon Crean MP, under which it says: ‘The Hon. Peter Garrett AM MP’. I am happy to table that. You read the whole thing. Then it says the minister for school education, Peter Garrett, is represented by Chris Evans, Kate Ellis is represented by Chris Evans, Mark Arbib by Jenny Macklin. It says under Simon Crean ‘Peter Garrett’. If he does not represent schools, what does he represent?

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

I say to the member for Sturt that on Sunday he reminded another member of this place that it was not a certain state conference and that did not mean that he could talk over people. But it does not mean you can come into the chamber and think that you are above everybody else and just rabbit on. You got the call, you made your point so then when you sit down be quiet.