Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. When Sam Dastyari failed to support the bipartisan position on the South China Sea, the Prime Minister said, 'Sam Dastyari has been caught betraying his country, and that means he is betraying—

Mr Tim Wilson interjecting—

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

Can the member for Isaacs pause. Can the member for Goldstein stop interjecting. I'm trying to hear the question. The member for Isaacs will start again.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. When Sam Dastyari failed to support the bipartisan position on the South China Sea, the Prime Minister said:

Sam Dastyari has been caught betraying his country and that means he's betraying every patriotic Australian in this country.

Does the Prime Minister stand by that statement and the standard it sets? Will the Prime Minister apply this test to the member for Chisholm?

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

I'm going to allow the question, but I'm going to point out that I could very easily have ruled it out, because the rules for questions are quite specific. I'll allow the question and I'll allow the Prime Minister to answer.

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

I thank the member for his question. I refer the member to the statement issued by the member for Chisholm today, which makes very clear her support for the government's position. That's what she had sought—

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

The Prime Minister can pause for a second. I have made it clear that I need to listen to the question, because I need to make rulings on these matters. I'm going to listen to the answer without interjection.

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

I refer the member to her statement, which makes it very clear about her support for the government's position and the long-standing position we have taken in relation to those matters. What the member has raised with me is the conduct of former senator Sam Dastyari. What he will remember about Senator Sam Dastyari is that not only was he a shadow minister in the executive of the opposition at that time, he seems to forget the fact that money changed hands between the then Senator Sam Dastyari—money changed hands!—and his position was bought by that, with a loan to pay off his legal expenses, and he was caught in his own web of corruption. He should have resigned and he did.