Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:00 pm
The Minister for Social Services will be absent from question time today as he is attending to a personal matter. The Minister for Human Services will answer questions on his behalf.
Mr Burke interjecting—
Tony Smith Speaker
I am going to address the House and I would appreciate it if the Manager of Opposition Business will allow me to do that.
Mr Burke interjecting—
I am very reluctant to hear the point of order from the Manager of Opposition Business. The Prime Minister each day outlines what the ministerial arrangements are. It is a well-known practice. It is covered well in the Practice. I caution the Manager of Opposition Business—I would not hear it from anyone other than him, but if it is a frivolous point of order, I am pre-warning him.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
Mr Speaker, it is not required now. It was about directing questions to a minister who had not yet arrived, but that minister has now arrived.
Tony Smith Speaker
All right, then. I thank the Manager of Opposition Business.