Alan Griffin (Bruce, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Special Minister of State and I refer the minister to his previous answer. I draw the minister’s attention to the March issue of the Liberal Party’s Goldstein News, which contains a report from Liberal Senator Mitch Fifield in these terms: ‘Prior to the last election, I moved my office to Warragul to help Russell Broadbent win the seat of McMillan—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, Mr Speaker: the standing orders and the Practice clearly state that members across the way may not refer to material which relates to parties. It is quite out of order and his question—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Mackellar will resume her seat. I am listening closely to the member for Bruce. He has not completed his question.

Alan Griffin (Bruce, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said: ‘Prior to the last election, I moved my office to Warragul to help Russell Broadbent win the seat of McMillan. Within Victoria, we are now within striking distance of a number of lower house seats. To that end, I have just moved into a new office in the Labor seat of Isaacs, adjacent to Holt.’

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: I would refer you to page 538 and 539 of the Practice.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Mackellar will resume her seat. As I have already said to the member for Mackellar, I am listening carefully to the member for Bruce. He has not completed his question. I call the member for Bruce and ask him to come to his question.

Alan Griffin (Bruce, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, what have these moves cost Australian taxpayers? What action will the minister take in response to Senator Fifield’s boast that he has twice relocated his electorate office to serve the interests of Liberal party candidates? Or does he maintain, as he said earlier, that it is all about better servicing his community?

Gary Nairn (Eden-Monaro, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Bruce for his question. I notice the Labor Party have not given the current member for Isaacs much support, which will be to the great detriment of the Labor Party, I think, because I think she has been a good member. She was certainly a very good Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Science and Innovation when I chaired it. But, as I said, circumstances do change and it is necessary for members and senators to relocate their electorate offices. We try to get the best deal that we can. The individual members and senators work closely with the department to get the best deal. We try to minimise the amount of excess rent sometimes when things have to change, and this happens—

Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Roxon interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Gellibrand!

Gary Nairn (Eden-Monaro, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can probably trot out the names of a few Labor members and senators and what it has cost to relocate their offices—

Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Roxon interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gellibrand is warned!

Gary Nairn (Eden-Monaro, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

if the member would like. I do not have the exact dollar figure for that right here at the moment, but I am very happy to get the actual dollar figures and come back to the parliament—and I might provide a few dollar figures of other changes as well.