Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that a debt guarantee for Qantas was under active consideration by the government as late as yesterday?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They asked for it; we thought about it; and we rejected it.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They asked for it; we thought about it; and we rejected it.

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left! If anybody is anxious to join the member for Moreton, they will interject further.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me, if I may, outline for the Leader of the Opposition's benefit what his position has done. His refusal to contemplate taking the shackles off Qantas means that Virgin is in a stronger position than Qantas. As I said, I am all in favour of doing the right thing by Virgin, but let's do the right thing by Qantas too. Let's do the right thing by Qantas too.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Has the Prime Minister concluded his answer?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister has concluded his answer.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is the point of order?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is under standing order 86. When a point of order is taken, we are meant to get the call and the person speaking is meant to be seated. This week, in particular, you have repeatedly allowed ministers and the Prime Minister to complete their answers before hearing a point of order relevant to exactly what they are saying.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order, and I might point out that if you are clairvoyant and think you can predict when an answer is completed then you are enormously clever.