Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that he has decided that today's question time will continue longer than any other day in the 45th Parliament in order to prevent the House from voting on a royal commission into abuse to people living with disabilities?

Ms Ryan interjecting—

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

The member for Lalor is warned.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What a declaration of surrender from the leader of the Labor Party. When has a Leader of the Opposition ever wanted to shut down question time when the government are happy to stand here and be questioned on their record, their achievements and the plans they have for Australia? We're happy to answer questions on this all day because we're proud of what we're doing as a government and we know what we're achieving for the country. We have the plans for Australia—whether it's for a stronger economy or for keeping Australia safe and secure.

Earlier in the week we did have to cut question time short because of the important matters that we were dealing with on indulgence. Why would the leader of the Labor Party not want to take the opportunity of holding the government to account? I can tell you why—because he has had a shocking week in this chamber. He knows his rollover on border protection shows the nation the weakness that beats within his heart. He does not want to come into this chamber and debate these issues with the government. Not once since their apparent great victory the other night have we had a question about how these new laws will operate. Not once have we heard from them: 'How much will these new laws'—which weaken border protection and which the Labor Party have championed—'cost? What will it mean for national security? What has the National Security Committee decided?' We've been answering those questions in this place.

The other day they chopped off debate because they didn't want to hear the answers—answers that said that ministerial decisions to say no to a transfer are automatically overturned by a panel, even if the panel has not yet been formed. We had the ludicrous situation the other day as the Leader of the Opposition sought to absolve himself of responsibility with absurd amendments to a bill which now says this panel of doctors has to be a panel of volunteer doctors. What's next? The National Security Committee is going to be made up of a panel of voluntary dentists or any other medical professional because the Labor Party aren't prepared to take national security seriously in this place?

I began this week at the National Press Club, setting out our plans to keep Australians safe and secure. If the Labor Party don't have any questions about it, that just shows how hollow, vacuous and weak they are when it comes to national security.