Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Deputy Speaker’s ruling be dissented from.

The opposition is dismayed to have to move a motion of dissent from your ruling, Mr Deputy Speaker. This is a critical issue about Westminster democracy and the parliamentary process. We are very disappointed, shocked and surprised that you would make a ruling that such a motion would be in order. We have heard from the member from Banks trying to run interference on behalf of the incompetent and failed Leader of the House. This motion is unprecedented, it is uncalled for and it is out of order. It is out of order because it is unparliamentary. It is a potential breach of privilege. There are motions that could be moved about the misleading of the House by a member of the House or a condemnatory motion saying that a member of the House should be condemned for an action, but it is utterly unprecedented in the history of Federation for a motion to be moved demanding an action by any member of this House. It is a breach of privilege, it is a denial of freedom of speech and it is a denial of the rights of every Australian to be able to express their views.

This government—so drunk with power, so overblown with its own importance and rhetoric, in the midst of a major international crisis, having bungled the financial response to that crisis leading to a dislocation of the financial sector, a freeze on retirees, farmers, small businesses, savings and deposits—is facing one of the gravest crises in the history of this Federation and yet the Leader of the House comes into the House today and moves a motion which is essentially outside the standing orders of this House and which is potentially a breach of privilege. He has the time to come in here and waste at least an hour of this House’s time in the midst of an international financial crisis on a ridiculous motion condemning the Leader of the Opposition for doing something that he should not be condemned for doing and demanding he come into the House and perform an action—something that the government cannot ask him to do and yet that is what this government is doing.

What is the Treasurer doing? What is the Prime Minister doing? What is the Minister for Finance and Deregulation doing? What is the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government doing at this crucial time? I will tell you what they are doing, Mr Deputy Speaker. They are wasting the time of this House. They are wasting taxpayers’ money. Their eyes are not on the ball. They were not on the ball two weeks ago on the weekend of 12 and 13 October and they are not on the ball now.

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