House debates Questions without Notice
Liberal Party of Australia
Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General
2:39 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to reports that the Solicitor-General, Stephen Donaghue, sought to intervene on behalf of the Attorney-General in a matter before the High Court today. Prime Minister, why are taxpayers paying for the Commonwealth's most senior lawyer, the Solicitor-General, to go to the High Court to intervene in an internal New South Wales Liberal Party dispute?
Paul Fletcher Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
I do thank the shadow Attorney-General for his question and for his many distinguished years of service to the nation as the shadow Attorney-General. This lion of the Labor Party, this champion of the working people who lives in Malvern, in the electorate of Higgins—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Hon. Members:
Honourable members interjecting—
Andrew Wallace Speaker
The Deputy Manager of Opposition Business can resume his seat.
Mark Butler Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives
Andrew Wallace Speaker
You can resume your seat. I know what you're going to say. The minister will return to the question, please.
Paul Fletcher Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
This champion of the working people—
Paul Fletcher Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
with an assiduous interest in questions—
Paul Fletcher Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
I am addressing the question. I'm acknowledging the shadow Attorney-General's disinterested commitment to justice. It's not a sloppy political attack, Mr Speaker.
Andrew Wallace Speaker
The minister will resume his seat. The Deputy Manager of Opposition Business, on a point of order?
Mark Butler Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives
Mr Speaker, I think you know the point of order, because you've been giving the minister the signal on relevance. This was a serious question about the use of taxpayer resources—
Andrew Wallace Speaker
The Deputy Manager of Opposition Business can resume his seat. I would ask the minister to direct his response to the question.
Paul Fletcher Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
As the House would be aware, there are well-established protocols under which Commonwealth representation in matters of this kind occur, and these decisions have been taken in accordance with those protocols.