House debates Questions without Notice
Higher Education
Tanya Plibersek Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
2:12 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to comments by Liberal Senator and former parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister, Cory Bernardi, who said: 'Playing games with our scientists and research hasn't seemed to have done the government any favours.' Is the Prime Minister's backdown from the shameful attempt to hold 1700 scientists hostage all about the Prime Minister's leadership and nothing about the government?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
I call the Honourable Prime Minister, but he will ignore the last part of the question.
Opposition members interjecting—
The members for Grayndler and Jagajaga will desist.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:13 pm
If the Labor Party thought this was so important, why did they not fund it? This is a program that was introduced by the Howard government. It was a Howard government program which members opposite, when they were in government, refused to fund beyond 2015.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
The previous government made no provision for this funding beyond 30 June 2015—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
What we have done is to restore a cut that members opposite made. This is complete hypocrisy—
Ms Catherine King Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health
It was funded until 2015!
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
Complete hypocrisy from members opposite, who believed in this so much that they did not bother to fund it. We think it is important, and that is why it is being funded now.