Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his announcement of the Minister for Defence’s resignation today and the letter of resignation from the Minister for Defence, and in particular to his reference in that letter to meetings between his brother Mark, Humana, the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel and members of the Minister for Defence’s staff. Can the Prime Minister confirm whether any members of his—the Prime Minister’s—staff were present at any of these meetings referred to in the letter of resignation from the Minister for Defence?

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Ministers! Those on the front bench on my right will come to order! The Prime Minister has the call.

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

I am unaware of any such participation in the meetings referred to. In fact, I have just been advised by my office that no members of the Prime Minister’s office attended any such meeting. I would say to the Leader of the Opposition, as he pursues his campaign of fear and smear—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Prime Minister has the call!

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

The only one amused by the proceedings is the member for Higgins at the moment, because your credibility has just crumbled yet again.

Simon Crean (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Crean interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Minister for Trade!

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

A person who has stood at the dispatch box and made insinuations of the type which have been described before—the Leader of the Opposition, I would suggest, if he is a person of any moral substance, should stand at the dispatch box and register his apology for what has been said.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I ask you to ask the Prime Minister to withdraw that reflection on the Leader of the Opposition.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, if I take this in the context of robust debate—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is a response that I could make—

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Those on my right! Just as I ignored certain comments that were made earlier in question time on my left by way of interjection which, if they were used in debate, would have required a substantive motion, I am not going to require the Prime Minister to withdraw. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

Furthermore, I find it curious that the member for Wentworth and the member for North Sydney, given their historical association with Goldman Sachs and HIH, would stand here and provide lectures on standards to the Australian parliament. I find it passing strange that those opposite, who come from the party which presided over the single-largest corruption scandal in Australian history, the wheat for weapons scandal, involving $300 million, for which not one minister answered with their ministerial career—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Those on my left and right!

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

I find it passing strange—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Prime Minister has the call and the Prime Minister will relate his remarks to the question.

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

I find it passing strange that those opposite would provide the House with a lecture on these sorts of standards, given where they have come from on these matters. This is the party of children overboard, the party which misled the Australian people on the eve of the 2001 election. This is the party which presided over the wheat for weapons scandal, the biggest corruption scandal in Australian history. This is the party which presided over the implosion of HIH. The then minister responsible for its regulation is now the shadow Treasurer and the member who is now the Leader of the Opposition was working at one stage for Goldman Sachs, a company which provided some corporate advice in relation to this matter. When it comes to ministerial standards and parliamentary standards, those opposite should reflect long and hard on the standards which they bring to bear in this debate today.

Those opposite have nothing positive to say about the Australian economy, nothing positive to say about how we are going to take this country forward at a time of extraordinary global economic duress and nothing positive to say about what the country should do given the challenges that we face. Instead they are embarked upon a campaign of undiluted negativity. They should hang their collective heads in shame.