Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to reports today of a frank discussion with the Prime Minister in which the current Deputy Prime Minister 'laid bare his fury' after he was bombarded with backbench complaints about the decision to contract out the announcement of $15 million of government grants to One Nation. Who decided this should happen: the Prime Minister, the finance minister, all of the above? And why was the Deputy cut out? Is it because you are preparing for his departure? (Time expired)

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

The Leader of the House on a point of order.

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

I know they bring out the member for Grayndler when they are going really badly on the other side of the House, as they have just done. But I am not sure which part of that question is actually in order. I know the member for Grayndler got his statement out, but what is the question?

Honourable members interjecting—

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

The Leader of the House will pause. The member for Isaacs prevented me hearing everything the Leader of the House had to say. I was reflecting on that question as well. A lot of it is out of order. I am struggling to find a bit that is in order. I am happy to hear from the member for Grayndler. I don't want to hear the question again.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The bit that is clearly in order—and the Prime Minister is responsible for the decision—is that we have had an extraordinary circumstance whereby One Nation senators have made government announcements. Who made that decision?

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

I thank the member for Grayndler for at least admitting that most of the question was out of order. The section of the question that referred to government policy is in order, but, again, I caution members asking questions that I am not going to allow questions that merely are constructed in a way that is deliberately out of order—

A government member interjecting—

I haven't finished yet. You mightn't like the end bit. I am not going to allow questions that merely are constructed in a way that is deliberately out of order and then just have a tag line at the end. That question was very close to the line, but the bit that referred to policy is in order and I will call the Prime Minister.

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

As the honourable member is well aware, having dealt with other members of parliament over the years, including crossbenchers, during his time as an infrastructure minister and even during what he has often described as 'the golden era of telecommunications', when he was briefly the communications minister, grants of all kinds are approved in the usual way by the responsible ministers.