House debates Questions without Notice
Qualifications of Members
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
2:40 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister and it goes to the extraordinary conspiracy theories the government is advancing in the House as to why Labor is to blame for the government's crisis. Which of the following are Labor's fault? Is it Labor's fault the Leader of the House moved a motion on Monday to refer the Deputy Prime Minister to the High Court? Is it Labor's fault his—
Tim Wilson Goldstein, Liberal Party
It's not a conspiracy; you've admitted it!
Tony Smith Speaker
The member for Goldstein is preventing my hearing the question. He's warned. I've warned him a number of times. You know exactly what the next step is.
Mr Champion interjecting—
That was the member for Wakefield—a very familiar voice! You're warned too. The Manager of Opposition Business will begin his question again.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
My question is to the Prime Minister and it goes to the extraordinary conspiracy theories the government is advancing as to why Labor is to blame for the government's crisis. Which of the following are Labor's fault? Is it Labor's fault the Leader of the House moved a motion on Monday to refer the Deputy Prime Minister to the High Court? Is it Labor's fault his deputy yesterday admitted he was a citizen of a foreign power, right up until the weekend? Or is it Labor's fault that his deputy's father was born in New Zealand in 1924?
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House
The standing orders are very clear about the responsibilities of the Prime Minister, and they don't go to the failures of the Labor Party.
Tony Smith Speaker
The Leader of the House is right, and I suspect the Manager of Opposition Business knows that.