Mark Butler (Port Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that on 18 July Senator Canavan became aware of the possibility he was an Italian citizen, on 24 July Senator Canavan issued a legal instrument notifying the government's intention to pull the trigger on gas export controls, and the next day Senator Canavan resigned from cabinet? Why did the Prime Minister allow Senator Canavan to make decisions on gas export controls the day before he resigned as a minister when he was already fully aware there were doubts over his qualifications to be a member of parliament?

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

The member for Port Adelaide has already confessed to his failures on the subject of gas. He's owned up. Why he wants to keep on doing this public penance and sticking his head up and talking about gas is beyond me, because it gives us the opportunity to reflect on why my government has had to take the measures it has to ensure Australians have affordable gas. And we know why we've had to take that action. It is because of the failure of the Labor government, despite sensible, strong, considered advice from AEMO, from their own department, that allowing unrestricted export of gas would push up prices and restrict supply. It's fairly obvious, actually—a penetrating glimpse of the obvious, you might think—but, nonetheless, they ignored it. It was, I suppose, in the words of the Leader of the Opposition, an issue that they could deal with down the track. But the fact is: we are—

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

The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order?

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

On direct relevance: the question contains no argument, no rhetoric; it's a simple question of fact.

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

Rubbish!

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

The Leader of the House will not interject. I've listened closely to the Prime Minister. He is on the policy topic. I'm continuing to listen closely to him. He hasn't deviated from the subject matter of the question. It was also a very long question—in fact, more than 30 seconds. I was a little lenient at the end. And the Prime Minister is entitled to be on that topic and to have a preamble.

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

In conclusion, I will refer the honourable member to my many answers on this topic. All of the ministers are eligible to sit in this House and, indeed, in the Senate. We rely on the advice we've received—

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

I hear an interjection from the member for Isaacs.

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

The member for Isaacs is warned.

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

Oh yes—that voice!

A government member interjecting—

That's right. The member for Isaacs had very strong views on the prospects of the postal survey.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The member for Isaacs has been warned.

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

Needless to say: as we know, seven judges of the High Court disagreed with him.