Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:49 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister prepared to declare that the vote on the media bills will be a matter of confidence in her government?
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It is an absurd question and it is out of order.
Ms Anna Burke Speaker
I was hesitating; I think you would concede that I was hesitating because I could not see that there was actually a question there. It was a hypothetical. It is a difficult situation but I would ask the Leader of the Opposition if he could rephrase the question.
Opposition members interjecting—
I have taken a point of order from the Leader of the House. I have taken a point of order; I have listened to the point of order and I have reconsidered.
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
Speaker, on your reconsideration, can I say to the point of order from the Leader of the House that the Prime Minister is the head of the government and the media laws are matters before the parliament produced by her government. It is a perfectly valid question to ask her whether she regards them as so important that if they fail to pass she will go to the Governor-General, and that is what—
Ms Anna Burke Speaker
The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. I have asked the Leader of the Opposition if he could rephrase the question.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition
Speaker, I am very happy to put it this way: are these bills of such importance to the government that if the government fails to carry them in the House this week she will regard that as a question of lack of confidence in her government?
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
2:51 pm
To the Leader of the Opposition, if he wants to answer his own question about motions of confidence I suggest he has a look in this book. I know that he managed to serve as Leader of the House for years without opening it, but it is called House of Representatives Practice, and he will find the answer.
On the question of when the election will be, the election will be on 14 September. Let me say very clearly to the Leader of the Opposition, it will be a contest counterintuitive to those believing in gender stereotypes but a contest between a strong, feisty woman and a policy weak man and I will win it.
Ms Roxon interjecting—
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
Madam Speaker, on a point of order, the Leader of the Opposition asked a perfectly valid question. The Prime Minister answered the question and then she as an aside said for some unknown reason, 'Misogynist Tony is back'. I would ask her to withdraw it because it is a slur on the Leader of the Opposition and a desperate play from a desperate Prime Minister!
Ms Anna Burke Speaker
The Manager of Opposition Business will leave the chamber under standing order 94(a).
Opposition members: Why?
Why? If anybody needs to ask that they might all just leave the chamber.
The member for Sturt then left the chamber.
I did not hear the Prime Minister's interjection but I will ask her to withdraw.
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
If the Leader of the Opposition is upset in any way then I withdraw.
Opposition members interjecting—
Stuart Robert Fadden, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science, Technology and Personnel
Joke!
Ms Anna Burke Speaker
Order! The member for Fadden is warned. The Prime Minister will withdraw unreservedly.
Honourable members interjecting—
Order! Would the Prime Minister withdraw.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Speaker, if the opposition are genuinely concerned about that then I think they might like to look at the Manager of Opposition Business's behaviour in screaming at the Prime Minister and those opposite's behaviour in screaming at you, Speaker, consistently.