House debates Statements on Indulgence
Committee Reports
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
3:25 pm
Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to raise the issue of committee reports. It is now the case that the report from the member for Banks is—
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
On what basis is this being raised?
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
I am seeking indulgence.
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
You can't just seek indulgence to slag the opposition.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
You're not in the chair!
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Leader of the House, on indulgence, is seeking advice. I will allow it, and then the Manager of Opposition Business can debate the issue when I have actually heard what the Leader of the House is about to say.
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
Madam Deputy Speaker, I raise a point of order, under standing order 98.
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
I am waiting.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat.
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
I am asking for a point of order under standing order 98.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. I need to hear from the Leader of the House as to what he is seeking before I can progress.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
I think that the House might want to—
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
86.
Greg Combet Charlton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
He got the wrong standing order!
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
Order! The Leader of the House has the call. The minister is not assisting.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
It is a serious point. If a report that is to be tabled in both houses—the House of Representatives and the Senate—is not tabled here in the House but is just tabled in the Senate, we are giving up our position as the prime house of the parliament. I would have thought the Manager of Opposition Business would support that. It is on the blue that this report was coming. I ask the Manager of Opposition Business to have a little bit of common sense and allow the report to be tabled.
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
3:27 pm
Madam Deputy Speaker, I seek the call to comment on the Leader of the House's statement. He says that the opposition should have common sense in relation to the tabling of this report. If the Leader of the House believed in common sense in relation to this House, he would have granted leave when the opposition asked to table electricity bills and documents on 12 September, three times; on 13 September, twice; on 17 September, three times; and on 18 September, twice. Each time, the Leader of the House thinks it is terribly funny—but of course it is quite puerile—to deny the opposition the right to table documents that they have referred to in their questions. On the other hand, we have not been given any notice that the Chairman of JSCEM wanted to give a speech today on his report. It is now the time when the opposition should be given the opportunity to debate matters of public importance. If the Leader of the House wants to table these documents, he should get his scheduling right. It is not up to the opposition to fix his problems.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
In respect of this matter, leave needed to be given in this instance. It was not given. We will progress to the matter of public importance.