House debates Questions without Notice
Minister for Agriculture
Joel Fitzgibbon Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture
3:08 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, now that you have had a few more days, what steps have you taken to satisfy yourself that the Minister for Agriculture has, since his appointment as the Minister for Agriculture, operated in a manner consistent with your ministerial code of conduct?
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
Surely it has not taken him three days to come up with that question. I think he has been wasting his time for the last three days. There is no evidence whatsoever—
Jenny Macklin Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments
Have you looked?
Mr Fitzgibbon interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Jagajaga and the member for Hunter!
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
There is no evidence whatsoever that the minister in question has been anything other than an exemplary minister. The issues that the shadow minister thought were the most important issues facing the country on Monday and has failed to raise in the successive days until now took place long before the minister had an official role. I know the minister. I respect the minister. The minister is doing a splendid job. I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.