House debates Questions without Notice
Ministerial Staff: Code of Conduct
Ms Catherine King Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health
2:24 pm
My question is again to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware that 66 eminent public health professors have written to all state and territory health ministers, including Senator Nash, calling for the health star rating website to be reinstated as a matter of urgency? Why did one junk food lobbyist employed as the minister's chief of staff determine the government's public health policy rather than the advice of dozens of public—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
Order! The member will resume her seat. If the member wishes to rephrase her question, leaving out the argument in the latter part, she may ask her question. I give the call to the member for Ballarat.
Opposition members interjecting—
The Manager of Opposition Business?
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
Madam Speaker, on a point of order: I am trying to work out how describing a business that this individual actually was part of, and admits to being part of, and has resigned because of—
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
cannot be referred to in a question?
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
The point of order is that there are no grounds for you to make the ruling you just made.
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
What are the grounds?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
I have offered the member for Ballarat the opportunity to leave out the argument of her question and to rephrase it.
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
What is the argument?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
She is an intelligent woman; she will work it out.
Ms Catherine King Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health
Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Prime Minister: is the Prime Minister aware that 66 eminent public health professors have written to all state and territory health ministers, including Minister Nash, calling for the health star rating website to be reinstated as a matter of urgency? Why was the minister's chief of staff allowed to determine the government's public health policy rather than the advice of dozens of public health experts?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
I will let the question stand, despite its final assertion.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:26 pm
I thank the member opposite for her question. The premise of the question is simply wrong. It is simply wrong. People are entitled to disagree with the position of the government, but the position of the government was determined by the government and by the minister. It is eminently defensible.
Ms Catherine King Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health
Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table the letter from the 66 eminent public health experts.
Leave not granted.
Opposition members interjecting—