Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is again to the Deputy Prime Minister. Does the Deputy Prime Minister still say paying $30 million for a piece of land valued at $3 million is a bargain, when the—

Mr Fletcher interjecting—

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

The member for Ballarat will resume her seat. The minister for communications will cease interjecting. Members would find it a lot easier to avoid these situations if they didn't interject when I am trying to listen to a question. The Member for Ballarat, could you start your question again, and if the clerk could run the clock from the top. Thank you.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is again to the Deputy Prime Minister. Does the Deputy Prime Minister still say paying $30 million for a piece of land valued at $3 million is a bargain, when the Federal Police are investigating and his own department says there is no evidence the purchase is a good investment?

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would have thought my voice was loud enough when I answered this question before, twice. And the member for Ballarat is within earshot of me. What I said was, in time, when we look back at this, we will say, 'At least the land next to the Western Sydney airport is Commonwealth owned.' It would cost a lot more in the future, had it not been bought now. In that particular interview, I was also espousing the importance of Western Sydney airport. We are getting on with the job of building Western Sydney airport, something that never would have happened under those opposite—never would have happened.

Mr Morrison interjecting—

It didn't happen, Prime Minister; you're totally right. I appreciate that the member for Grayndler, back in 2009, 11 years ago, said—

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

I will just say to the Deputy Prime Minister that the area he's trying to go to, he can't under this specific question. He really can't. That is precisely why, to my chagrin a lot of the time, the questions from my right have the phrase 'alternative policies' in there. That is what permits it, and this question was very specific and it deals just with the substance of the matter. He needs to be relevant to it.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. We are talking about Badgerys Creek, we are talking about Western Sydney airport and we are talking about the land, yes. Well, in 2012, the member for Grayndler ruled out a second airport at Badgerys Creek.

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

No, the Deputy 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

The point of order is on direct relevance. The Deputy Prime Minister cannot possibly be directly relevant if he is referring to 2012, because that's not when the Federal Police started investigating. This is about when the Federal Police started investigating, and that is on your watch.

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

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Deputy Prime Minister needs to return to the substance of the question. I am in two minds about the Manager of Opposition Business's point of order. But where the Deputy Prime Minister was going I warned him not to. He needs to be relevant to the question or wrap up his answer or I'll wrap it up. The Deputy Prime Minister has the call.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Badgerys Creek was the preferred site that we selected. We have purchased the land, albeit—

An honourable member interjecting—

I know that. You know that. We all know that. Thirty million dollars—that's why we are looking into the fact of how much and why it cost that much. We're looking into that. There is a review being done. The department asked the Australian Federal Police, as did the ANAO, to look into that matter. It's being conducted by the Australian Federal Police. Yes, there are separate inquiries going on. The department itself asked the AFP to investigate it, as did the ANAO—and the member for Ballarat knows all about the ANAO!