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

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) | Link to this | Hansard source

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—

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

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) | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

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) | Link to this | Hansard source

This champion of the working people—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will return to the question.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts) | Link to this | Hansard source

with an assiduous interest in questions—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will address the question.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts) | Link to this | Hansard source

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) | Link to this | Hansard source

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) | Link to this | Hansard source

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) | Link to this | Hansard source

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) | Link to this | Hansard source

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.