Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer him to former premier Daniel Andrews's significant and ongoing engagement with the Chinese Communist Party. Is the Prime Minister aware that Daniel Andrews has not disclosed his engagement on the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme register, and will the Prime Minister immediately write to his close personal friend, and former flatmate, seeking his immediate compliance with the register?

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

The Leader of the House?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question has been framed in a way that is not with respect to what the Prime Minister is officially connected with, which has then led to imputation after imputation in the way that that question has been framed.

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

I raised this issue yesterday, of making sure that any question fits in with the direct responsibility. Simply because the person is an Australian citizen doesn't mean the question fits that bill. I am going to ask the member for Herbert to rephrase the question. The Manager of Opposition Business on the point of order?

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is in order because the Prime Minister was asked if he would write to his own government about his awareness of whether—

You, as prime minister, can write to your agencies. You can write a letter.

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

That wasn't the question.

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That was the question.

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

The question was: will he instruct the individual to write to the Prime Minister—not the Prime Minister to write to himself.

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister is aware of Dan Andrews. He's aware of the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme register, and he can write and ask for him to comply with the requirements of the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme register. It's a serious issue, and the reason the Leader of the House wasn't confident in his point was that he didn't know what he was being asked to do by the Prime Minister—to cut off this question. That was what happened. So, he should answer this.

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

We're going to get the question right. We'll find a way. The member for Herbert has indicated that he is happy to rephrase the question, just to make sure that it's within the Prime Minister's responsibility. There's a way to loop it in that's quite simple to do. Mention the Prime Minister's responsibilities in that matter.

Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer him to former premier Daniel Andrews's significant and ongoing engagement with the Chinese Communist Party. Is the Prime Minister aware that Daniel Andrews has not disclosed his engagement on the Australian government's Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme register, and will be Prime Minister immediately write to former premier Andrews to comply with the register?

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

Everyone should comply with the law; it's as simple as that. Everyone should comply with the law; it's as simple as that. That's my job. This is a rather bizarre line of questioning that they're going down. Everyone should comply with the law, whether it's someone who is part of selling a port and then goes on the board of that port or anyone else.