Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business (House)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I have a question to you, and it concerns standing order 105 and the administrative follow-up when a question's put on the Notice Paper. Yesterday the PM agreed to report back on an answer with respect to the member for Hunter and the cost of legal fees and the coalition agreement. Whereas there is a way that you're able to take action for questions that are in writing, is there a similar process available to us when somebody offers to report back to the House and mysteriously doesn't do so?

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

The short answer to the Manager of Opposition Business's point of order is: no, there's not. But, clearly, when ministers offer to take something on notice, the expectation is that there will be a reply. Is the PM seeking indulgence?

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

on indulgence—I was hoping the member for Hunter would ask me again. The Commonwealth's legal costs to date, I'm advised, have been $87,000, but they will be considerably reduced because of the costs order against the member for Hunter. So we just hope that, in the interests of preserving the public finances of the nation, the member for Hunter pays up in accordance with the court order.