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

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Warringah from moving the following motion forthwith:That the Prime Minister be called and address the House, for a period not exceeding 10 minutes to be followed by the Leader of the Opposition for the same time, to allow the Prime Minister to defend himself—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, a point of order: this motion has already been dealt with by the House.

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

We will listen carefully to the motion from the Leader of the Opposition. This came to light in the past, and I am sure people around here learn lessons.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Pyne interjecting

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

The Manager of Opposition Business is not assisting. I understand, but he is not assisting. I will listen carefully to the wording of the motion.

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

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Warringah from moving the following motion forthwith:That the Prime Minister be called and address the House, for a period not exceeding 10 minutes to be followed by the Leader of the Opposition for the same time, to allow the Prime Minister to defend himself against the serious charge that he has broken yet another promise to the Australian people in relation to government advertising, and in particular:

(1)

for declaring government advertising a “cancer on democracy” in 2007 but now, with an election looming, amassing a $126 million advertising war-chest funded by the taxpayer;

(2)

for shutting down the previous ad approval process overseen by the Auditor-General, replacing it with a committee and then exempting himself from his own committee’s rules on “national emergency” grounds; and

(3)

for trying to re-write the sequence of events to claim that the government’s advertising blitz is only necessary to counter mining industry ads when in fact, we know from the Treasurer’s secret letter that the government planned their $38 million PR war months before the great big new tax on mining was even announced.

This Prime Minister is a fraud and he has been found out.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, a point of order: this is substantively the same motion that was dealt with before.

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

Fortunately, I now have before me the previous motion. I listened carefully to the motion as proposed by the Leader of the House, and I believe it is substantially different.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

Question put.

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

Is the motion seconded?

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

I second the motion. He is too gutless to defend himself in the parliament—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

Question put.

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

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.