Ben Morton (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on actions taken by the government to defend Australian values and deliver better outcomes for welfare recipients, including in my electorate of Tangney?

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

Australia is the most successful multicultural society in the world. On Australia Day, which we defend, we begin the celebrations with an acknowledgement of country and a welcome to country—a recognition of the 65,000 years during which our First Australians cared for this country—and we end with a citizenship ceremony with our newest Australians: a baby, perhaps, in the arms of her migrant mother. Through all of that, all of that which Labor so derides—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Listen to them, Mr Speaker—they deride the values that Australians share. Australians love this country. They love Australia Day. They love the values it embodies, and at the heart of those values are democracy, freedom, the rule of law, mutual respect and mutual obligation. We on our side believe that welfare money should not be spent on drugs and booze.

Ms Husar interjecting—

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

The member for Lindsay is warned!

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

We believe that welfare money should not be spent on drugs and booze but those opposite have no problem with it being spent on drugs and booze. They will not support us. How shameful. If you loved those people on welfare, what would you do? Would you tell them to get off the drugs, get off the booze? We'd hope so. But, no, the Labor Party won't do that. And what about the cashless welfare card? I have been there with my colleagues the social services minister and the Minister for Human Services, I have been there with the member for O'Connor and I have been there talking to families whose lives have been wrecked by drugs and alcohol, and they call out for us to support and deliver the cashless welfare card. I will never forget the grandmother in Kalgoorlie who said to me, 'Those who criticise the cashless welfare card should look into the eyes of a child with foetal alcohol syndrome. They should look at that child.' I tell you, Mr Speaker, when we do that, we do so with love and compassion, and according to the Australian values of helping our mates and looking after each other. Standing up for Australia means standing up for Australians. (Time expired)

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

The Prime Minister's time has concluded.

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

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.

Ms Catherine King interjecting—

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

The member for Ballarat will now leave under 94(a). I've warned her so many times and she's acknowledged it each time.

The member for Ballarat then left the chamber.

We might just wait for a second before we proceed.

Ms Ryan interjecting—

The member for Lalor will leave under 94(a). It is completely unparliamentary not only to interject but also to scream across the chamber as members are leaving.

The member for Lalor then left the chamber.