Pat Conroy (Charlton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Today is the national day of protest for the CSIRO against the Prime Minister's cuts and broken promises. The Prime Minister is cutting one in 10 jobs at CSIRO and slashing $111 million from its budget, including cuts to climate research. Why does the Prime Minister believe science is 'absolute crap'?

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

The Prime Minister has the call but will disregard the last word of the last question.

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

I did listen to member's question and it does contain a statement, which is simply untrue, and I challenge the member who asked the question to authenticate the statement that he claims I made.

Mr Burke interjecting—

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

The member will resume his seat. I am not interested in hearing arguments. The member has asked his question. He will resume his seat and listen in silence. This is the time for question time, not argument.

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

The statement that the member included in his question is simply untrue. The version that the member used in his question is simply wrong.

Mr Champion interjecting—

Mr Husic interjecting—

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

The member for Wakefield is warned and the member for Chifley is also warned. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

There are some savings that this government is seeking to make in respect of the CSIRO, but the former government certainly cut the CSIRO in its time. My understanding is that any job losses at the CSIRO up until now result not from decisions of this government but from decisions of the previous government—yet again, mendacity and hypocrisy from members opposite.