Mark Butler (Port Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is Port Adelaide—right city, though, Madam Speaker; thank you. My question is to the 'fixer', formerly known as the Minister for Education and Training. When speaking on Sky News about where he would find budget—

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

Just because I left out the 'Port', does not mean to say you can take leave and not refer to the minister in proper terms.

Mark Butler (Port Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will start again. My question is to the minister for education. When speaking on Sky News about where he would find budget savings to pay for his latest backflip, the minister said, 'I want to make it a surprise.' Given the Prime Minister promised a 'no surprises' government, can the 'fixer' tell us exactly where the $150 million is coming from?

Opposition members interjecting—

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

This is not a place simply for amusement and entertainment, despite what you may be implying. The fact of the matter is: this is a serious question time. An important question has been asked, and the minister will answer the question without the hilarity.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Port Adelaide for his question, although I am surprised he is asking me a question, since I thought he was the shadow minister for the environment—nevertheless. The member for Flinders is going to miss the boat today. I can tell you where the $150 million was not going to come from: it was not going to come from the Labor Party.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

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

The member for Grayndler will leave if he is not careful!

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy is a very, very important research scheme. When we came to power, we discovered that the Labor Party had defunded the scheme from 30 June 2015. So I talked to the Prime Minister and the Treasurer about how we could make sure that NCRIS continued into the future doing the good work that it does. To put that in context, the government spends $9 billion a year on research in higher education—every year—and $150 million is the national collaborative research infrastructure scheme. I and the Prime Minister were absolutely determined to make sure that continued, so we linked it to the savings in the reform bill—

Ms Ryan interjecting—

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

The member for Lalor is warned!

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

quite properly. When that became a distraction to the crossbench, I found the money. Why? Because I am a fixer. So I fixed it. I found the $150 million. And, as is the correct procedure when the Treasurer hands down his budget in May, all of those things will be revealed, as they should be in the budget process. For me to start nominating various aspects of my department where the money might be coming from would be entirely outside the normal process, and the opposition knows that. The simple fact is: this government has saved 1,700 jobs that Labor put at risk by not funding the national collaborative research infrastructure scheme. Under Labor, NCRIS would have come to an end. Under Labor 1,700 people's jobs would have been at risk. Under this government—a government that supports science and research and higher education—we have found the money to make sure that it continues, for which I am very grateful—

Ms O'Neil interjecting—

Mr Danby interjecting—

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

The members Hotham and Melbourne Ports will leave under 94(a).

The members for Hotham and Melbourne Ports then left the chamber.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to receive the praise of Brian Schmidt today, the Nobel laureate who the Labor Party only yesterday were quoting. Now, apparently, they do not want to touch him with a barge pole. Now they do not want anything to do with him. Oh, they have gone very quiet, Madam Speaker. They always do when they have been caught out. Yesterday Brian Schmidt the Nobel laureate was worth quoting; today they want to run away from him. Brian Schmidt today has indicated that he absolutely supports the government's decision on NCRIS, and he also said, to his great credit, that he supported the government's higher education reforms, because the current system is broken. Unlike the irresponsible members of the opposition, we are getting on with the job of fixing Labor's problems, for which the Australian public will be grateful at the next election.

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

Madam Speaker, I seek leave to table Brian Schmidt's comments about Christopher Pyne's tactics, where he says—

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

The member will resume his seat. That is an abuse of the standing orders, and you know it.