Dennis Jensen (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education. I remind the minister of the $1.2 billion in school funding earmarked for Queensland, the Northern Territory and my state of Western Australia that was cut from the pre-election fiscal and economic outlook by the previous government. What would the impact of this cut have been and what has the government done to ensure that all states and territories receive additional schools funding?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Tangney for reminding the House that the Leader of the Opposition, when he was the Minister for Education, planned to cut $1.2 billion in schools funding from Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory. The coalition's funding promise was that we would put $2.8 billion into schools funding over the forward estimates while Labor's promise was that they would cut $1.2 billion, reducing the total amount of funding to $1.6 billion. I table a document showing the impact that the re-election of Labor would have had on schools across Western Australia. Imagine my surprise when I heard, on the weekend, claims by the shadow minister for education that the government was cutting education funding in Western Australia. Under Labor, she would have been right. Under Labor, Western Australia would have experienced a funding cut. Under the coalition government, on the other hand, she was wrong. We are putting $120 million more over the forward estimates into schools funding in Western Australia.

I do not blame the shadow minister. She was right to be confused. She was probably confused because similar claims have been made by the Leader of the Opposition. He too has said that he was putting $2.8 billion into schools funding, when he was actually only putting $1.6 billion into schools funding. It is like when he said that he was against the mining tax but he voted not repeal it in Canberra, or when he said he was against the rising cost of living but he voted against the carbon tax being repealed in Canberra. The Leader of the Opposition is the Mr Potato Head of Australian politics. You can put whatever face you like on the Leader of the Opposition—

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. If this is an example of the adults being in charge, the minister should be asked to sit down.

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

That is not a point of order. The Manager of Opposition Business should not misuse the standing orders; if he does he will be asked to leave the chamber.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am sorry if it offends the Leader of the Opposition to be referred to as Mr Potato Head. I am happy to withdraw the allusion. Perhaps he would be happier with an allusion to Hugo, the man of a thousand faces, who those of us from 1975 would remember very fondly.

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

The Minister for Education will use proper terms of address.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, on a point of order: how is it that, given the Manager of Opposition Business's point of order—

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

Which was not a point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was a point of order—

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

It was not a point of order. The member will resume his seat and will not argue with the chair.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

Then state it.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sixty-five.

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

Good for you. The Minister for Education will continue.

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

Madam Speaker, on a point of order: you are casting this House into disrepute when you allow the Minister for Education to carry on.

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

The Leader of the Opposition will withdraw those remarks or will leave the chamber.

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

Madam Speaker, I will withdraw, and that is what you should also make that side of the House do.

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

The Leader of the Opposition will withdraw unconditionally.

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

I withdraw unconditionally.

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

The Leader of the House and Minister for Education will withdraw before he continues.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I have already withdrawn my remarks. I said that I would withdraw my remarks unconditionally. I also said that if the Leader of the Opposition did not like the allusion, then he could go back further in time, to 1975, to Hugo, the man of a thousand faces. He was another toy to which you could add any face you liked.

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

Madam Speaker, I raise the most fundamental of all the points of order, which concerns your role in preserving the dignity of this House. I ask you to do so.

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

It would help if there were dignity on both sides of the House. The minister has the call.

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

On a point of order: Madam Speaker, it is that your argument, that you take the reference to your participation based on the debate you see before you?

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

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I am trying to put into context that the problem with the Leader of the Opposition is that he has one position for one audience and another position for another audience.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The member for Isaacs will withdraw.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Depending on where he is in Australia, he has a different position. Depending on the audience he is talking to, he has a different position. He is no longer the faceless man of Australian politics; he is the two-faced man of Australian politics. He has a different position wherever he is in the country and he needs to show some substance.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker—

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

The minister will resume his seat. If the member for Grayndler is going to raise argument instead of a straight point of order, he will resume his seat.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I am raising a straight point of order about members being addressed by their name, and you should uphold that.

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

Indeed I do. That sounds like a reflection on the chair, and you will withdraw it.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, it was a point of order. What was the reflection?

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

The reflection you made about the chair. I am not going to repeat it.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did not make a reflection, Madam Speaker.

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

The member will resume his seat.