Kay Hull (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Would the minister advise the House of the government’s response to the Road to recovery report on substance abuse? Is the minister aware of any criticism of the government’s approach, and what is his response?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Riverina for her question. I also thank her for the Road to recovery report prepared by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family and Community Affairs, which she chaired. The government tabled its formal response to that report in the House last week. One of the principal recommendations of the report was to investigate the effectiveness of naltrexone in treating heroin addicts. The government has committed some $1 million to fund a major trial into this.

Another principal recommendation was not to support the establishment of heroin injecting rooms. I can certainly assure the House that, as long as the Howard government has breath in its body, we will try to oppose any state or territory which is conniving with law-breaking in this way. Let me say that there has been, indeed, some criticism of the government’s approach in opposing heroin injecting rooms. The Leader of the Opposition, for instance, said:

It is wrong for the Prime Minister to stand in the way of NSW Government’s ... injecting rooms for heroin users ...

Here we have it—the Leader of the Opposition: he surrenders on Iraq; he surrenders on workplace relations; he is surrendering on drugs as well.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Childcare) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Plibersek interjecting

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

Order! The minister will resume his seat. Despite two warnings, the member for Sydney continues to interject. The member for Sydney will remove herself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Sydney then left the chamber.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, as far as I am aware, it is not slanderous to quote opposition frontbenchers’ words back at them. I can understand why the member for Sydney was getting agitated, because the member for Sydney said, ‘I am pleased to say there will be a heroin injection room up and running in Sydney.’

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Albanese interjecting

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

The member for Grayndler is warned!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler said:

But it is not the heroin per se that causes all these problems, it is often the criminalisation of the supply and use of heroin.

And we have the member for Lalor, who said through her spokesman:

If state governments make that decision—

that is to say, the decision to support injecting rooms—

... then we’d back them.

It is possible that all of these opposition frontbenchers have changed their mind. But unless they are prepared to publicly repudiate—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: the health minister is going through a series of unattributed quotes of people on this side of the House. I would ask him—if you would let me finish, please, Mr Speaker—to table the material from which he is quoting.

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

The member for Grayndler will resume his seat. He may make that request at the end of the question if he chooses to. The minister is in order.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The quote from the member for Grayndler was from the House Hansard of 22 March 1999, so can we table some of these? The truth is that, unless these frontbenchers opposite have changed their opinions and publicly put on the record their changed opinions, there is only one conclusion to be drawn, and that is that Labor is soft on drugs. Labor is soft on drugs. And then there are the preference deals—

Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Resources, Forestry and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. With all respect, as usual the minister has gone one bridge too far. That is an offensive remark to all members of the opposition and I request that it be withdrawn. No member of the Labor Party caucus is soft on drugs. It must be withdrawn.

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

Order! I have been listening carefully to the minister’s answer. I note the point raised by the member for Batman, but, as the minister did not refer to a particular member, I believe that his—

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

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

Order! Members on my right!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. That was an extraordinary ruling. For you to suggest that he did not refer to a particular member—he did refer to me by name, and the member for Sydney and others—

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

Order! The member for Grayndler will resume his seat.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that it be withdrawn.

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

The member for Grayndler would be aware that the reference to him was related to the earlier part of the answer. The member for Batman’s point of order was in relation to the last part of the answer that the minister was giving. The minister did not refer to any particular member in that comment.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

While you were giving that warning, someone else interjected across the chamber that I was soft on drugs. I ask that member to withdraw it.

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

If that point was made, then—

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

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

Unless the member for Grayndler can identify the person, he puts the chair in a very difficult position.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Albanese interjecting

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

I have just responded to the member for Grayndler’s point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Mr Speaker, and I am responding to your ruling.

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

The member for Grayndler does not respond to rulings.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I simply make the point in conclusion—

Bob McMullan (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I was not aware that you had finished dealing with the last matter. Page 502 of the House of Representatives Practice quotes Speaker Snedden as saying:

... if an accusation is made against members ... would be unparliamentary and offensive, it is in the interests of the comity of this House that it should not be made against all as it could not be made against one.

It then goes on to say:

This practice has been followed by succeeding Speakers.

In my view it should be followed by you and the minister for health should have to withdraw that remark.

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

I thank the member for Fraser. I am aware of the passage that he is referring to. I would also refer him to page 501 and the comments by Senator Wood as Acting Deputy President of the Senate, when he made this point:

... offensive words must be offensive in the true meaning of that word. When a man—

and I would add ‘or woman’—

is in political life it is not offensive that things are said about him politically.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! I will finish my ruling.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order—

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

Will the Leader of the Opposition resume his seat! I have not finished my ruling. I drew attention to that point in the House of Representatives Practice to make the point that I happen to agree with the words of Senator Wood on this occasion.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. In light of that, if I were to stand here and point out that the minister for health, who supplies free needles to drug addicts to support their illegal drug habits, was soft on drugs—

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

Order! The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. That is not a point of order.

Duncan Kerr (Denison, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. This debate is being degraded by the manner in which it is being pursued. An allegation that a serious issue which has health impacts and which has been fully researched—and the saving of lives has been evidenced—being characterised in this way by the minister for health imputing that all members of the opposition are indifferent to or support illegal drug use in Australia is contemptuous of this House.

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

Order! The member for Denison will resume his seat. I rule that the comment was not unparliamentary.

Lindsay Tanner (Melbourne, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. On 22 June you ruled that the Leader of the Opposition was required to withdraw a statement that the Attorney-General had engaged in vilifying asylum seekers. That is clearly a legitimate political comment. Why is it that he is required—

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

Order! The member for Melbourne will resume his seat. He will not debate the ruling.

Harry Quick (Franklin, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. In light of the comments made by the honourable Minister for Health and Ageing, as a person who is the longest serving member of that committee and in light of the fact that that committee met over the lives of two parliaments—

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

The member for Franklin will come to his point of order.

Harry Quick (Franklin, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would respectfully request that the minister withdraw that statement—

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

The member for Franklin will resume his seat. I have ruled on his point of order.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In conclusion, I want to say that I welcome any support for policies that are tough on drugs from members opposite. I welcome it and, if the member for Grayndler, the member for Sydney, the member for Lalor and the Leader of the Opposition are prepared to withdraw their support for heroin injecting rooms, I would give them a great deal of credit and congratulate them. I call on them to withdraw their support for heroin injecting rooms.