Kim Wilkie (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education, Science and Training. Did the minister sanction or approve the release of unpublished information on forthcoming grants under the Investing in Our Schools program for schools in the federal seat of Swan to the Liberal candidate for Swan in advance of notification to the member, in this case me?

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The minister will resume her seat. The member for Swan has asked a question. The minister is going to answer it. The minister will be heard.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is a typically self-indulgent question by an opposition member who is more interested in self-promotion than the education of young students in his electorate.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The minister will resume her seat. I call the minister. I will take action—

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

Mr Beazley interjecting

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

Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition has made an offensive suggestion and he should withdraw it.

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

I did not hear it. I call the Leader of the Opposition.

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

I would like to get your adjudication on this, because I think it is fair enough, actually. What I said was, ‘Actually, it’s about corruption.’ That is what I said. The question was asked about announcing public funds through candidates as opposed to through members of parliament in the normal way.

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

The Leader of the Opposition will be well aware that that is unparliamentary language—

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

Do you want that withdrawn?

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

and I call upon him to withdraw it.

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

If you want that withdrawn, then I withdraw it.

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

I thank the Leader of the Opposition. I call the minister.

Jennie George (Throsby, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is disgraceful behaviour.

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

The member for Throsby will remove herself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Throsby then left the chamber.

The member for Swan has asked a serious question. I call the minister.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The results of the Investing in Our Schools program are advised by letter—

Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You did it in Oxley, because one of the schools told me.

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

Order! The member for Oxley is warned!

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The results of the Investing—

Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Ripoll interjecting

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

Order! The member for Oxley will remove himself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Oxley then left the chamber.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The results of the Investing in Our Schools program are advised by letter to each member, to each senator, to each school principal—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The minister will resume her seat. I issue a general warning!

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and to each state education minister, and the results are placed on the department’s website.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Treasury) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms King interjecting

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

I have instituted a general warning. The member for Ballarat will remove herself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Ballarat then left the chamber.

Kim Wilkie (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table correspondence received in my office from the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education, Science and Training, dated 27 November, which was received in my office almost one week after the Liberal candidate had been advising people in my electorate about their grant applications.

Leave granted.

Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Dr Nelson interjecting

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

I remind all members that a general warning has been issued.

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 member for Ballarat was dismissed from this chamber. The Minister for Defence did exactly the same as she did but he has received different treatment.

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

The member for Grayndler will not reflect on the chair.

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

I am asking you: you have issued a general warning; is it to both sides of the parliament or to one?

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

I remind the member for Grayndler that there have been interjections from both sides. I will take action.

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

Mr Speaker, you say you will take action. You did take action.

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

The member for Grayndler will resume his seat. I call the honourable member for Kooyong.