Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. In his previous answer the Prime Minister failed to endorse decisions made by his own government to reject projects that had been assessed as above 90 out of 100 for merit. Were the projects that received money under the community sports infrastructure scheme the ones that had the most merit?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Members on my left—the member for Cowan, the member for Corangamite. I haven't called the Prime Minister yet. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

As the member knows, the program was set up that gave total authority to the minister to make decisions—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Members on my left!

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

I'm only referring to what the findings of the Auditor-General's report were, Mr Speaker. That report articulated that the authority to make those decisions was by the minister, and the Auditor-General's report made a very important recommendation, which the government accepts. That recommendation was recommendation 4, which deals with the issue of the application of the Commonwealth Grant Rules and Guidelines. As the Auditor-General's report outlines—and which we accept—those guidelines should be applied in the future by organisations such as Sport Australia. The government has accepted that recommendation, and we believe that that will assist these—

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On direct relevance. The question does not go to future programs. The question goes to decisions that were made by this government and whether or not the Prime Minister believes those decisions were made on merit.

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

Just before I call the Prime Minister, I take the point of order from the Manager of Opposition Business. I heard the question to have exactly what he said and some other question at the end about what the considerations were.

Mr Burke interjecting—

Okay, I'll listen to the Prime Minister carefully. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

The point I was seeking to make is that the minister made the decisions about where the projects should be supported based on her assessment of what would be the projects of greater support and merit in the community. And she had the authority to do that. They were based on her assessment—

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The Prime Minister will just pause for a second. The members for Perth and Lyons will leave under standing order 94(a). The Prime Minister has the call.

The member for Perth and the member for Lyons then left the chamber.

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

So the minister, who had the authority to make those decisions, made those decisions. And, as she made very clear in her own statements at the time, she was seeking to make those decisions in the best interests of what that program was seeking to do.

Now, the point I was making is that the Commonwealth Government Grant Rules and Guidelines are there to ensure that where a minister may take a view about what she believes is a project that has greater merit there is a process for setting out how that might be different from what advice or recommendation she might have received. But, Mr Speaker, I can tell you what the Auditor-General's report did not find. It did not find that elected members of this House, and it did not find that ministers, should not be making decisions about the expenditure of public moneys to suit the programs that have been established. The process is to ensure that you get good advice, and you can consider that advice, but ministers must make decisions.

Now, if those opposite think that ministers should be order-takers from public officials, who aren't elected, that's for them to say. I believe every single member of this House would advocate for the needs of their community. And these members advocated for the needs of their communities, and the minister made decisions. They were all eligible projects and she made the final decisions, as was her authority under the program as it was established. Where there are improvements to be made to that program in the future, they have been accepted.

Mr Gosling interjecting—

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

The member for Solomon will withdraw an unparliamentary remark he made.

Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Which one?

Government members interjecting—

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

No! I tell you what, members on my right! This is not going to take long, member for Solomon. You either withdraw or withdraw from the chamber. It's pretty simple.

Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

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

Thank you. Is the Prime Minister indicating that the Second Deputy Speaker made an unparliamentary remark? I have no option but to—

Mr Rob Mitchell interjecting—

No, you haven't got the call yet. You're certainly not going to question anything. You know the standing orders as well as anybody! If you want to ask a question you can do that in another way. I'm in the situation where the Prime Minister is saying that the Second Deputy Speaker made an unparliamentary remark. All I can do is ask whether the Second Deputy Speaker did make an unparliamentary remark.

Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I didn't, but for the sake of the House I withdraw it.

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

I thank the Second Deputy Speaker.