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

In fact, I would expect that the caucus will start to push for parliamentary reform given the extraordinary waste of time and effort and energy that goes into what has become a joke of a question time. For two hours every day we have to hear the Prime Minister blathering on in confected outrage in ugly displays like today. It was an extraordinary performance, verballing members of the opposition and telling outright falsehoods about our positions on issues. We have to listen to the Treasurer telling falsehoods about the positions we have taken on bills—bills that we suggested in the first place. I am referring, of course, to the bank guarantee. On four occasions the Leader of the Opposition has had to take personal explanations about the blatant disregard for the truth that the Treasurer displays in this House about a bill which we are on the record as having supported.

The Prime Minister is by far and away the worst offender in terms of his performance in question time. I pity the new members of this chamber having to see the performance of the Prime Minister in comparison to the performance of previous prime ministers. I am not just talking about John Howard, the former member for Bennelong, who most people—even the member for Banks—would agree was quite a parliamentary performer. There were other prime ministers who were great parliamentary performers, and they were not even from my own party.

Paul Keating was a very entertaining parliamentary performer; Bob Hawke was a satisfactory parliamentary performer. Gough Whitlam was a legendary parliamentary performer. On our side of the House there have been prime ministers like Robert Menzies. There have been whole books written about his parliamentary performances and his capacity to speak in this place. Robert Menzies is just one example but Malcolm Fraser of course is another. I have already talked about John Howard.

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