Ms Julie Bishop Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
2:59 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I remind the Prime Minister that her government has introduced a bill to require employers to study labour market research trends for six months and to gain expressions of support from public authorities before they can employ a 457 visa holder. Given that her communications director holds a 457 visa, what steps did she take to ensure that there was no Australian qualified to undertake that role? Did she study labour market research trends and gain expressions of support from public authorities before his appointment? (Time expired)
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
It has been getting clearer and clearer across question time but it is crystal clear from this question: we are dealing with an opposition with no policies and plans for the nation's future and so they come in here with ridiculous questions about political staff. Well, you would think that the Leader of the Opposition might have more on his mind than this game playing, but of course he does not, because they sit there mired in their negativity with no plan for jobs, no plan for health, no plan for education other than plans for cuts. To the Leader of the Opposition, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Members:
Government members interjecting—
Ms Anna Burke Speaker
Order! The member for Cook is reasonably seeking the call.
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
Madam Speaker, on a point of order on specific relevance: the question was about the Prime Minister's hypocrisy.
Ms Anna Burke Speaker
The member for Cook will resume his seat.
Mr Morrison interjecting—
The member for Cook will withdraw. For the benefit of the House, if he had not gone to that I would have actually ruled in his favour. The member for Cook will withdraw. It is an abuse.
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
I withdraw. On the point of order, I would ask the Prime Minister to be relevant to the question.
Ms Anna Burke Speaker
If the member for Cook had done that, he would have been—
Ms Anna Burke Speaker
I thank the member for New England—exactly right! The Prime Minister has the call and needs to be relevant to the question before the chair. I am sorry I do not have a number for the member for New England. The Prime Minister has the call.
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
Thank you very much. To the Deputy Leader of the Opposition's question, I actually think the parliament is better than this—than stupid things about political staff. For the government, what we believe in is putting the jobs of Australians first. All this has proved is the vacuousness of the opposition and their lack of policies.