Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister remain committed to a national treaty, as called for in the Uluru Statement from the Heart?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, the scare campaign is running out of steam. It's like a deflated whoopee cushion! It has made a loud noise and it's a bit uncomfortable, but then they've just moved on and on from one thing to the other. We've had a range of them. The Leader of the Opposition said that the Voice will re-racialise our nation. He's seemingly unaware of the racial provisions that are in the current Constitution—seemingly unaware.

The former Deputy Prime Minister went one further, and said this—

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Which one?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And there have been a few! But there's only one of them who would have said this because, you know the old saying—

Honourable members interjecting—

This is what he said: 'The Voice will be a delineation of people and their rights. The Civil Service Act of Germany in 1933—

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

Who exactly are we—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That was the member for New England—

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for New England is also seeking the call, but I'll hear from the member for Wannon first of all.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaker—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Member for New England, I'll just do one at a time.

Opposition members interjecting—

Order! Members on my right.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Speaker. The question was very clear. It was about a national treaty: do you stand by your commitment for a national treaty or not?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat, you haven't stated what the point of order is.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's relevance—

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. We got there in the end! Is the member for New England still—

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaker, I'll do it after question time.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question was about the Prime Minister's commitment to a national treaty, called for in the Uluru statement. As I reminded members in the last question, the Prime Minister needs to make his remarks directly relevant.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Uluru statement—

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why don't you fight for what you believe in instead of reading all these stupid quotes?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Prime Minister will pause. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition had some time out yesterday. I'm sure she wants to stay for the remainder of question time today. The Prime Minister has the call.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Uluru statement, on the one page, says:

We seek a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history.

Well, we're in the post-truth world over there. Indeed, Senator Cash tried to up the Barnaby Joyce comment and said, 'if we put the voice into the Constitution … we're effectively announcing an apartheid type state'. That is what they have had to say. The deputy leader said that the Voice can take a view on everything, from submarines to parking tickets.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order. We've had one point of order on relevance. I'll hear from the leader of—sorry, the member for New England.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You flatter me, Mr Speaker! At the very least he could use the proper term. I'm the member for New England.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm sure the Prime Minister will ensure that he uses the correct titles at all times.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition—this might go to why he's objecting here—said this to justify his opposition: 'It's not just the Voice. It's about truth-telling.' That got them worried over there. Senator Hanson said that it would turn the Northern Territory into an Aboriginal black state.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order. The Prime Minister will pause. The minister for infrastructure will cease interjecting as well. There is far too much noise today. I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, my question is to you, as to whether you will rule this particular contribution out of order. It is clearly out of order, Mr Speaker, and it is defying your earlier remarks. I haven't finished—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The leader will pause.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, for the benefit of the House, the question was this: Does the Prime Minister remain committed to a national treaty, as called for in the Uluru Statement from the Heart? It was nothing beyond that. Can this Prime Minister answer a question honestly or not? Mr Speaker, can you please provide a ruling as to whether he is in order or not?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I give the call to the Leader of the House.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I simply draw your attention to the fact that a point of order on direct relevance can only be raised once. The Leader of the Opposition knew that and decided to use a point of order for the purpose of making a speech, which he knew was out of order.

Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's not correct.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Petrie would like a go as well! You'll need to state the point of order, not give a commentary or a statement.

Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, the Leader of the House is incorrect. The opposition leader was asking you to rule on a point of order. It wasn't on relevance at all.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Petrie can resume his seat and not take any more points of order for the rest of the week. I give the call to the Leader of the House.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I simply also raise a point for the Speaker. This is something that doesn't happen during question time, but if questions to the Speaker are asked they're asked at the end of question time and on administrative matters.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister has 30 seconds remaining for his answer. I'm just going to say that I need him to be relevant to the question. If he is not relevant to the question I will call him to order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Mr Speaker. The Leader of the Opposition in his statement made reference to the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which was in the question. The member for New England actually said in May that this might be the last budget we have if this craziness got up; there are not going to be any budgets. Perhaps the Leader of the Opposition might want to think about this statement:

… the Prime Minister's obsession with the Voice means that he's taken his eye off the ball when it comes to economic policy …

There are no economic questions in here. We know who's obsessed—just them. (Time expired)