Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. In order to answer it, he just needs to get two numbers right. I refer the minister to his refusal to answer my last question. I ask again: as the minister responsible for the expenditure of these public funds, how much of taxpayers’ money will be spent in advertising the most recent industrial relations changes, and—

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

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. That question has already been asked, and answered fully. I ask that you rule it out of order.

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

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition has not completed her question. I will listen carefully to her question.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The whole point, Mr Speaker, was that it was not answered. I refer the minister—

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

The member will come to her question.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to his refusal to answer my last question, and I ask the minister, as the minister responsible—

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

Mr Speaker, further to my point of order: the member opposite just admitted that the minister had already answered the question. She said she did not like the answer. It was properly answered.

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

I am listening carefully to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. I call her to ask her question again.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Will the minister inform the House, as the minister responsible for the expenditure of public funds in this area, how much money will be spent by the government on its advertising campaign for its new industrial relations changes? I also ask: will the minister inform the House how much money the government has spent on market research and opinion polling of community attitudes to its industrial relations laws?

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

Order! The second part of that question is certainly a new question. I call the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have nothing to add to the previous answer, but I do make two points. The first is that we believe Australians should know where they stand in relation to the current system. We make no apology for that, and that is in the face of a $100 million union and Labor Party fear campaign. The second point is: isn’t it interesting that the biggest criticism the Labor Party have of our policy today is that we are telling the Australian people about it? Do you know what? We wish the Labor Party would spend some money promoting their own IR policy.