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

My question is to the Treasurer. Does the Treasurer stand by his effusive remarks last week about the leadership of the Australian Workers Union? Does he agree with former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s comments today about factional leaders and their role within the Labor Party, ‘We the ALP are at our best when they are at their least.’ Will the Treasurer rebuke the AWU for describing one of his frontbench colleagues as ‘a dishonourable rat’?

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The Treasurer will resume his seat. The question is out of order.

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

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: I put it to you that I asked about remarks the Treasurer himself made last week, he is accountable for his remarks and therefore we are entitled to question him about them.

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

And I am entitled to be consistent that, when they are outside a person’s ministerial responsibilities, whether they have been said or not, I will rule the questions out of order.

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

Mr Speaker, further to the point of order: I put it to you that as the Deputy Prime Minister the Treasurer has wider responsibility than just being Treasurer of the country. As Deputy Prime Minister—

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

The member for Sturt will resume his place.

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

he is also deputy leader of—

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

The member for Sturt will resume his place. He will remember that my ruling on that occasion was on the Prime Minister of the time and I am being consistent. At that time, the House indicated to me that they might have had a different view. A very learned member of the crossbenches took me to task on that occasion, and I paid attention to his assertions. But I believe that, if we were to look at the reasons for question time, they are certainly not on the basis of delving into the internal proceedings of political party matters.

Daryl Melham (Banks, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ask him for his footy tips!

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

The member for Banks!

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

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: further to your ruling, it has been the habit of former Speakers to ask the minister if they would like to answer the question, so perhaps you would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he would care to answer the question.