Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Does the Prime Minister retain the full confidence of his cabinet?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, the Prime Minister does enjoy the confidence of his cabinet. The reason that he enjoys the confidence of his cabinet is his policy delivery for this nation—policy delivery be it on MH17 or MH370, be it on border protection, be it on stopping the carbon and mining taxes to ensure that we can have jobs for the future or be it on the free trade agreements that are promising wealth generation and job creation like we have not seen in this country for a long time. That is why the Prime Minister enjoys the confidence of his cabinet and of the party room. What I do know is that Mr Shorten does not enjoy the confidence of 21 years worth of former ACTU presidents in Mr Hawke, in Mr Ferguson and in Mr Crean in relation to his unprincipled stand on the China free trade agreement—an agreement that will see huge potential for our home state of Tasmania and indeed the state of Western Australia, 47 per cent of whose exports go to China. Yet the Labor Party has the audacity to campaign in Western Australia against the free trade agreement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Senator Cameron on a point of order.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I raise a point of order on relevance. The question was about the chaos and dysfunction in this government and the lack of support for the Prime Minister.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When it comes to relevance, Senator Cameron never figures in the debate at all and that is why it is not surprising that he would raise a point of order of that nature. Can I say to those opposite that the Prime Minister enjoys the confidence of his cabinet because of the direction that we are taking this country after the six years of Labor-Green neglect. (Time expired)

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Has the Prime Minister's department asked the Governor-General to be in Canberra and available to call on this week? Will the minister rule out a preemptive double-dissolution election?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am astounded at the new-found fascination for the powers of the Governor-General by those opposite. One day they are calling on the Governor-General to sack a royal commissioner, for only one reason—they know that they would never win the case in court—and what humiliation in the media today—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Senator Moore on a point of order.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I raise a point of order in relation to direct relevance. There were two questions: has the Prime Minister's department asked the Governor-General to stay in town this week, and will the minister rule out a preemptive double-dissolution election. The minister has gone nowhere near either of those questions.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has more than half the time left to answer the question. He has already mentioned the Governor-General in his answer.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Whilst those opposite continue to wallow around in Canberra gossip, we on this side are getting on with the task of ensuring that we deliver good government for this country. That is why I can tell those opposite that an early election is not on our agenda. Delivering the China free trade agreement is on our agenda. Ensuring that Labor cannot reintroduce a carbon tax is on our agenda. Ensuring that Labor cannot bring in a mining tax again is on our agenda. (Time expired)

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Is the Liberal minister who says that a challenge to the Prime Minister's leadership is 'coming like a freight train' correct? Is a leadership challenge the only way to stop this government focusing on itself?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The only person focusing seems to be Senator Sterle, and that is a rare occasion. I will note that it is a very rare occasion that we actually have Senator Sterle focusing, but yet again when he does focus it is on the wrong thing. What Senator Sterle as a Western Australian senator ought to be focussing on are the benefits of the Chinese free trade agreement for his constituents. He knows it is good for the people of Western Australia. We know it is good for the people of Western Australia. We will continue to seek to deliver for the people of Western Australia and, indeed, all of Australia. In relation to, once again, an unsourced gossip column comment, can I say to the Labor Party that we do not engage in that sort of talk; what we engage in is policy delivery. That is what we did last week in relation to the Syrian refugee crisis and we will continue to do so. (Time expired)