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

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Minister for Human Services' trip to China. Is it the position of the current Prime Minister that the former Prime Minister authorised the minister's breach of ministerial standards? And is the Prime Minister setting up an argument to blame his predecessor to protect his current minister?

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

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: that question assumes an outcome and makes an assertion which is not fact and therefore is out of order.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on the point of order: the entire wording of the question is on the basis that the outcome has not yet been resolved by a Prime Minister not making a decision yet, and we are asking whether this is the argument he is setting up.

Government members interjecting—

It is a valid question, and there is more people over there asking it than there are over here.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Leader of the House.

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

Mr Speaker, on the point of order: halfway through the question, the Leader of the Opposition made the statement that the Minister for Human Services had breached the ministerial guidelines. That has not been found.

Opposition members: Yes it has!

That is an assertion by the opposition. It has not been found by anyone; so, therefore, the question is out of order, unless it can be reworded, which is within the your discretion.