Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Has the government undertaken modelling on the impact on prices of proposed cuts to the water allocations in the Murray-Darling Basin?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for North Sydney very much for the question—

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Dutton interjecting

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

Order! The question has been asked and the Prime Minister is responding.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I can say to the member for North Sydney about the process that is being gone through at the moment is that it is a guide. And because it is a guide for further consultation leading to a draft plan and then leading ultimately to a plan that the minister signs off and brings to the parliament—

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes or no?

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

Order! The Prime Minister will resume her seat. The member for Dickson will leave the chamber for one hour under standing order 94a.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

I take it that he burped.

Opposition Members:

He bowed.

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

Well, he bowed with a noise.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Sorry. I call the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister will respond to the question.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying to the member for North Sydney, there is a process—a process on the water act, a process being undergone by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority—

Mike Symon (Deakin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Symon interjecting

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

Order! The member for Deakin will withdraw that remark.

Mike Symon (Deakin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw, Mr Speaker.

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

On a point of order on direct relevance, Mr Speaker: the Prime Minister could not have been asked a more direct question. Has modelling been undertaken or not?

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

Order! The member for Sturt will resume his seat. I think it was a short, well-constructed question, but I cannot dictate the manner in which it is being responded to. I think that if the House waited a little bit with bated breath they would see that an answer could be considered directly relevant. That may be a vain hope of the chair, but I believe that that was what the answer was building to. I call the Prime Minister.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am outlining for good reason the process which is in the hands of an independent authority, because it goes to the member for North Sydney’s question. What we are intending to do is to have the Murray-Darling Basin Authority go through this proper process. At the same time, the parliament will go through a proper process through the committee led by the member for New England. I understand that the member for North Sydney, inspired by the Leader of the Opposition, may be in the fearmongering business and that he may be wanting to spark a campaign here, but on this side of the House we are determined to work through this complex reform—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! The Prime Minister will resume her seat. I simply suggest to those on my left that, if I was not having to deal with them and they were allowing me clearly to listen to the answer, we might proceed in the way that they wish to proceed. But all the ruction in the way that it is put to me prevents me from actually hearing what is going on. The Prime Minister will be directly relevant to the question. She will not enter into debate across the table.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will pursue these reforms. We will pursue them under the relevant legislation guided by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority with the parliamentary committee. There is only one question here: is the opposition seeking to wreck this reform? (Time expired)