Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to comments by the National Secretary of the Health Services Union, Kathy Jackson, that the investigation of allegations against the member for Dobell by Fair Work Australia was far too slow. Has the Prime Minister, either in that position or as the former Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, her staff or any minister or their staff had contact with officials of Fair Work Australia to discuss the length of time that the investigation has taken?

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

What I can say to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition is that decisions about how fair work processes will roll out are, of course, a matter for Fair Work Australia. So they need to make those decisions themselves and independently. What I can also say to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition is that perhaps she might be better spending her time directing her attention to why Senator Brandis has involved himself in a New South Wales Police matter in quite the way that he has.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. My question related to the Prime Minister—whether as Prime Minister or as the former Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations—or her staff or other ministers and their staff making contact with Fair Work Australia about the investigation and the time it was taking.

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

The standing orders require that the response must be directly relevant to the question. I remind the Prime Minister of that fact, and I will listen carefully to her answer.

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

I can certainly assure the Deputy Leader of the Opposition that I have not been involved in trying to put political pressure on police. I wonder if the Deputy Leader of the Opposition can give the same guarantee.