Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question again is to the Deputy Prime Minister and relates to his most recent statements, including on 15 October this year, on the Cole inquiry—statements which he has made since leaving the trade portfolio. Did the New South Wales branch of The Nationals put forward the following motion at The Nationals federal conference on the weekend that—

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

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Standing order 98(c) specifically says:

A Minister can only be questioned on the following matters, for which he or she is responsible or officially connected:

i.

public affairs;

ii.

administration; or

iii.

proceedings pending in the House.

The question is quite out of order.

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

I am listening carefully to the member for Griffith. I call the member for Griffith.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Did they put forward the motion:

That this federal conference of The Nationals requests that, in the climate arising from the ongoing Cole inquiry into the AWB, the Australian federal government be asked to openly and vigorously investigate allegations of misconduct by persons representing or effectively representing the Australian people.

Given that statements the minister has made in defence of the Cole inquiry as a transparent process have been made as recently as 15 October, in the period since he left the trade portfolio, will the minister explain how those statements are compatible with the decision to have this motion pulled at the National Party conference?

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

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. That question being asked by the member opposite is the same as the one you have already ruled out of order. I ask you to rule it out again.

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

I have been listening carefully to the member for Griffith. His question is in order as it was linked to statements made by the minister.

Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased that the member for Griffith is taking such interest in the democratic processes of the National Party of Australia and the conference that we held in full view of the Australian media in Canberra last weekend. On the substantive issue that the member for Griffith raises, there were a range of motions about Australian wheat growers, the Australian grain industry and export industry. The motion was not pulled. They were consolidated and there was a great debate about the overall issue of the management of the Australian wheat industry and the future of Australian wheat growers. The most important point to make out of this is that the only reason the member for Griffith has the information to ask the question—

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Rudd interjecting

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

Order! The member for Griffith is warned!

Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

is that we let the media come into our conference and report everything that was debated, unlike the Australian Labor Party in Adelaide, which forced Old Skip to go and do his media conference in the car park.