House debates Questions without Notice
Great Barrier Reef Foundation
Terri Butler Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Preventing Family Violence
2:50 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's previous answers and also to the minister's previous answer. Is the Prime Minister aware that guests at the chairman's panel weekend were warned that, 'There will be no buggy parking at the helipad'? Every day, this almost half a billion dollar lump sum payment becomes increasingly ridiculous. When will the Prime Minister demand the funds be returned so that they can be properly managed by government agencies?
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House
Mr Speaker, the member—
Opposition members interjecting—
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House
The member prefaced her question by referring to the Prime Minister's previous answer. The Prime Minister didn't answer the question; it was answered by another minister. It's clearly out of order.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business (House)
The question also referred to the minister's previous answers. If the Leader of the House is wanting to claim that the Prime Minister hasn't given answers today, that's his business.
Tony Smith Speaker
I'm going to be very generous. The Leader of the House makes an inarguable point. The Prime Minister did not answer a question on the matter. He may have been asked one, and he referred it to the minister for the environment. So, I'll allow the member for Griffith a chance to rephrase the question.
Terri Butler Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Preventing Family Violence
That's kind of you, Mr Speaker.
Terri Butler Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Preventing Family Violence
I said it's very kind of you, Mr Speaker.
Tony Smith Speaker
Thank you. That's okay. I thought you said something else.
Honourable members interjecting—
Okay. Let me be blunt. I'm being generous. I'll give you a chance to rephrase it, because I suspect you're suffering from the fact that it was drafted before question time.
Terri Butler Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Preventing Family Violence
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the earlier answer. Is the Prime Minister aware that guests at the chairman's panel weekend were warned that, 'There will be no buggy parking at the helipad'? Every day, this almost half a billion dollar lump sum payment becomes increasingly ridiculous. When will the Prime Minister demand the funds be returned so that they can be properly managed by government agencies?
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:53 pm
I refer the honourable member to the previous answer by the Minister for the Environment and Energy. I can understand—
Ms Butler interjecting—
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I can understand the shock of unfamiliarity that the member has to learn that members of the chairman's panel, according to the statement from the foundation, paid for their own accommodation.
Ms Butler interjecting—
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
That would fly in the face of many great traditions of the Labor Party, not least that practised by the Leader of the Opposition, whose latest reef trip was paid for by Geoffrey Cousins.