House debates Questions without Notice
National Security
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:16 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, what was the benefit to national security of taking television cameras to ASIO headquarters yesterday?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Honourable Members:
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
There will be silence on my left! The Prime Minister has the call.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I should say that the Director-General of ASIO and other senior officers from ASIO were very, very keen to see those cameras come to ASIO headquarters because it helps to highlight the very important work—
Graham Perrett Moreton, Australian Labor Party
Why bring the cameras in?
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Moreton will leave under 94(a)!
The member for Moreton then left the chamber.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
that ASIO does to keep our country safe.
I want to say that I have the highest respect and admiration for the work that ASIO does. And I have to say that I am better informed about it, thanks to the classified briefing that I received yesterday after the cameras had long gone. I have the highest respect for the Director-General of ASIO, who commanded our special forces. He was appointed secretary of the Department of Defence by members opposite. He was appointed Ambassador to NATO by members opposite. I have the highest respect for him.
And the suggestion, coming again and again from members opposite, that somehow the Director-General of ASIO, that senior officers of ASIO, would have permitted classified material—
Ed Husic Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer
Not stuck in books, like Spycatcher!
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The members for Chifley and Charlton are both warned!
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
to be photographed is just ludicrous. The suggestion from members opposite that the Director-General of ASIO would have permitted classified material to be photographed is just ludicrous, and it shows how low—
Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Prime Minister did not even approach an answer to that question.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
I told you that is not a correct use of the standing orders. I said you would leave under 94(a) if you persisted, and you will. Leave under 94(a)!
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order with regard to the ruling that you have just made. The member for Isaacs moved a perfectly correct point of order under the relevant standing orders. The Prime Minister was asked what the benefit was to national security of having television cameras in there and he did not address it at all!
The SPEAKER: The member for Grayndler will resume his seat! And the member for Isaacs will leave under 94(a), as I asked him to do!
Mr Dreyfus interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
I have asked you to leave under 94(a)! Do you wish me to name you?
Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General
Madam Speaker, I wish to apologise.
Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General
I seek your—
Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General
I do wish to apologise—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
I name the member for Isaacs!
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House
2:19 pm
I move:
That the member for Isaacs be suspended from the service of the House.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Honourable Members:
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Sydney will also leave under 94(a) when we have finished this debate!
Honourable members interjecting—
The question is that the motion moved by the member for Sturt be agreed to.
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
2:30 pm
The honourable member for Isaacs is suspended from the service of the House. As this is the honourable member's second suspension this year, the period of suspension is the remainder of this day plus three consecutive sitting days.
The member s for Isaacs and Sydney then left the chamber.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:31 pm
The member who has just left the chamber said that he was trying to apologise. I tell you what, Madam Speaker, he should apologise to the Director-General of ASIO. He should apologise to the senior staff of ASIO. I did not take those maps into ASIO. They were maps—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
There will be silence on my left. I know this is the last day of sittings. I know the pent-up frustration that some people get. We will not tolerate a cacophony of noise. The Prime Minister has the call and he will have some silence. The Prime Minister has the call. Oh, his time has expired.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
It hasn’t, but anyway.