Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to an article by a respected journalist, Tory Maguire, in the Punchon 27 January. She wrote:

Tony Hodges, who was the one trawling the Press Gallery yesterday afternoon trying to sheet home blame for the ugly scenes to the Opposition Leader ...

Who instructed Mr Hodges to carry out such a briefing? Can the Prime Minister guarantee that Mr Sam Casey, then of her media unit and present in the press gallery on the afternoon of Australia Day at the same time as Mr Hodges, did not similarly brief journalists?

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

I refer the House to the answer I gave to these sorts of questions yesterday. I said yesterday that to my knowledge no such briefing was given to the press gallery on the assertions and allegations made by the member who asked the question, I point out that Mr Hodges has left my employ because of what I thought was a grave error of judgment. If the member has very specific other allegations then she should put them.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order of direct relevance, I asked specifically about Mr Sam Casey—we know about Mr Hodges—and whether he was also briefing.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the House will resume his seat because I am listening to the point of order being put forward by the member for Mackellar who has the call.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. To repeat it for your hearing, I asked specifically about Mr Sam Casey. We had an answer yesterday about Mr Hodges. I asked specifically: did Mr Sam Casey, of her then media unit, in fact also brief the media?

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I get the gist of what the member is saying. She will resume her seat. On the point of order, I call the Leader of the House.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When those opposite rise, as they do for every single answer, about a point of relevance, they have to point out the standing order and the point of relevance. That should not be an opportunity to repeat the question or, what usually happens, which is to repeat a changed question.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House will resume his seat. While it is helpful to the Chair if honourable members taking points of order cite the particular standing order, it is certainly not necessary for that to occur. I take the point of order raised by the member for Mackellar to refer to direct relevance and I ask the Prime Minister to continue her response bearing in mind the substance of the question.

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

My answer, as yesterday, is not to my knowledge.