Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to recent reports that the Prime Minister has employed at least six different diary secretaries within six months. Why has the Prime Minister had such significant staff turnover in his own office?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When a new government takes over, one of the first things that happens is that PM&C provides you with temporary staff. It occurred in our case, and I am sure it occurred when you guys took over back in 1996—that is the first point. I am glad, though, that you raised the question of staff, because what we have done is actually slash the number of ministerial staff by 30 per cent. Do you know what that saves the taxpayer? It is $15.4 million in the current financial year. We stand for saving the taxpayer some dollars; you stand for wasting the taxpayers’ dollars.