Jim Chalmers Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
2:27 pm
My question is to the Treasurer, and I refer to his previous answer. If he doesn't know how many funds in his budget are allocated at the discretion of the minister and their total value, will he provide this answer at the end of today's question time? Shouldn't the Treasurer know how much of his trillion dollars in debt he's borrowed to spray around marginal seats?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Hon. Members:
Honourable members interjecting—
Andrew Wallace Speaker
The Treasurer doesn't have the call yet. I haven't called the Treasurer yet! The Treasurer has the call.
Josh Frydenberg Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer
2:28 pm
There are programs like Roads of Strategic Importance, the Bridges Renewal Program, building better regions program, the Black Spot Program, the Stronger Communities Program. I would ask that the shadow Treasurer actually go and inspect the budget papers—probably something that he hasn't read—because the reality is these various programs support the economy. Roads of Strategic Importance, the Bridges Renewal Program, the building better regions program, Stronger Communities, the Black Spot Program—what has the member for Rankin got against those programs?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Andrew Wallace Speaker
I'm sorry, I can't hear you.
Is the Treasurer referring to a confidential document? The member for Rankin has the call.
Jim Chalmers Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
I ask that the Treasurer table the document from which he was reading, and, if not, will he provide the answer by the end of question time?
Andrew Wallace Speaker
Is the Treasurer referring to a confidential document?
Josh Frydenberg Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer
No, it's publicly available.
Andrew Wallace Speaker
The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order?
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts
I think the answer to the question that was given by the Treasurer said he was quoting from a publicly available document. I think that's what he was saying. Under standing orders, unless it's a confidential document, he has to table it. You asked him if it is a confidential document. If he's answered that it's not a confidential document then he has to table it. That's what the standing orders say.
Andrew Wallace Speaker
The Treasurer did say that he was referring to a publicly available document but it was the budget papers that he was referring to. That is what he said. He doesn't need to table it. If it's a publicly available document then it doesn't need to be tabled. Does the Manager of Opposition Business want to resume at the dispatch box?
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts
Thanks, Mr Speaker. There have been many times when a Speaker, on the request that something be tabled, has intervened and said, 'I'm not even going to ask.' But on every occasion once the Speaker asks, 'Was the minister quoting from a confidential document?' if the answer is yes then it doesn't have to be tabled. If the answer is, 'No, it's not a confidential document,' which is what the Treasurer said, then it must be tabled. That's how this parliament has always run.
Peter Dutton Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I simply refer you to the ruling of Speaker Smith in relation to these matters, which is entirely consistent with the statements you've already made. It's a publicly available document and, on that basis, it does not need to be tabled.
Andrew Wallace Speaker
Yes. The ruling I have made already—that, if it's a publicly available document, it doesn't need to be tabled—is consistent with the rulings of previous Speaker Smith.