Mike Kelly (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister lost 14 MPs in the election, and last time the parliament sat the Prime Minister lost another eight MPs, including three ministers. Is this what the Prime Minister means when he says 'so far, so good'?

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

The question is borderline. I will allow it. The Prime Minister has the call.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. What we have is a question focused on politics and focused on attendance, focused on political leadership—all of those important matters. And what the honourable member should be reflecting on is his own leader who had no concern about a junior senator from New South Wales on his frontbench ringing up a Chinese benefactor, a Chinese company, and asking him to pay his bills—

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Personal bills.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Personal bills. And I wonder: when the honourable member is getting around his electorate—when he is in Cooma, when he is in Bega—how many people does he represent that earn as much as Senator Sam Dastyari? Not many. And I reckon they would love to be able to ring someone up—dial a benefactor. That is what they would like to do: dial a benefactor. 'Bills are too high, credit card maxing out, tax bill a bit difficult, overdone on the expenses. Don't worry, go to the Dastyari bank. That's what you want.' This is a man who rails against business, rails against banks, claims to be standing up for the workers, standing up for the people who are doing it tough in Australia, but how does he do it himself? Earning an income which is a fortune by the standards of most Australians, he is not even prepared to pay the bills himself. He is not even prepared to pay the bills himself. His breathless candour when he was asked: 'Why did you ask for the bill to be paid?' 'Because I didn't want to pay it myself.' That is what he said. It reminds me of that famous American gangster John Dillinger who was asked, 'Why do you rob banks?' and he said, 'That's where the money is.' It is that sort of candour.

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

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

The member for Gorton will cease interjecting. The member for Durack has the call.