Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:04 pm
The safety of citizens is the first responsibility of government. Cabinet is the highest level of government. Given that leaks from cabinet are a criminal offence punishable by two years in prison under section 70 of the Crimes Act, what action has the Prime Minister taken to address the serious leaks from his cabinet regarding national security?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Members:
Government members interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
There will be silence on my right! The Prime Minister will resume his seat until his own frontbench is quiet. The Prime Minister has the call.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:05 pm
I am absolutely delighted to get a question from the Leader of the Opposition about last week's cabinet meeting, because last week's cabinet meeting made a decision—a clear decision to strengthen our national security.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Honourable Members:
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
That is enough! The member for Gorton! The Prime Minister has the call. There will be silence.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
Last week's cabinet meeting decided that this government will strip citizenship from terrorists with dual nationality. That is what we decided. We made a clear decision last week to strip citizenship from terrorists with dual nationality—
An opposition member: There was nothing clear about it! Where is the bill?
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
because we believe that anyone who takes a gun and a knife to an Australian because of who we are, has utterly forfeited any right to be considered as one of us. What was the Leader of the Opposition's response?
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
He said that was dog whistling—that is what he said.
Opposition members interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
He said that stripping the citizenship from terrorists with dual nationality was dog whistling. That is what he said. We do not believe it is anything other than a very sensible approach to protecting the people of Australia. That is what it is. For the Leader of the Opposition, the alternative Prime Minister of this country, to describe as dog whistling something which is designed to protect our national security just goes to show how unfit for leadership this man really is.
Mr Champion interjecting—
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I am pleased that the Leader of the Opposition has finally learnt what we have been saying to him for many months now—that the safety of our country is the first priority of government. I am pleased that he has so learnt that that he has repeated it twice in question time today.
Opposition members interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Jagajaga will desist, as will the member for Parramatta.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
What I want to hear from the Leader of the Opposition right now is his statement that, yes, he supports stripping citizenship from terrorists with dual nationality, because if he is not prepared to back that you would have to say he just does not get it when it comes to the national security of our country.
Mr Thistlethwaite interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Kingsford Smith is warned. Before I call on the next question, I simply say that I know this is the Thursday of the second sitting week and behaviour is usually appalling on that day, but I am not intending to tolerate it.