Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I inform the House that the Prime Minister and the Minister for Defence will be absent from question time today and tomorrow. They are in Western Australia to attend the funerals of Lance Corporal Mervyn McDonald and Sapper James Martin. The Special Minister of State will also attend the funeral of Lance Corporal McDonald today. I will answer questions on behalf of the Prime Minister. The Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Science and Personnel will answer questions on behalf of the Minister for Defence. The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations will also answer questions on behalf of the Special Minister of State and Minister for the Public Service and Integrity. The Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and Minister for Industry and Innovation and the Minister for Housing and Homelessness and Minister for Small Business will be absent from question time today and tomorrow for personal reasons. The Minister for Infrastructure and Transport will answer questions relating to climate change and energy efficiency. The Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government and Minister for the Arts will answer questions relating to industry and innovation.

Don Randall (Canning, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is anyone home?

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for School Education and Minister for Early Childhood and Youth will answer questions on behalf of the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research. The Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs will answer questions relating to housing, homelessness and human services, and the Assistant Treasurer will answer questions relating to small business. The Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Justice and Minister for Defence Materiel is in Sydney on portfolio business and also will be absent from question time today. The Attorney-General will answer questions relating to justice and home affairs and the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Science and Personnel will answer questions relating to defence matters.

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

I would ask the member for Canning to withdraw.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For the assistance of the House could the member for Canning—

Don Randall (Canning, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Saying 'Is anyone home,' is not unparliamentary, but to assist the House I will withdraw.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. I was going to point out that we have not even got to question time yet and I have already had to say 'Order', which I thought was a bit ridiculous!