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

Mr Speaker, I seek the indulgence of the chair to add to an answer.

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

The Prime Minister may proceed.

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

I want to add one or two remarks on the general question of the government’s investment in suicide prevention as that formed part of the honourable member’s question. I inform me House that the government has invested some $127 million to reduce the incidence of suicide and suicidal behaviour. The government is also investing some $55 million to address perinatal depression. I can also inform the House that we have expanded our investments in the Men’s Sheds network right across Australia as well. These of course are important parts of local community infrastructure to support men in particular circumstances, including some men who suffer from various forms of mental illness. As I have said before in answers to questions in this area, much more remains to be done.

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

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, if I may suggest to the Prime Minister and to the Leader of the House, the member for Wentworth asked his question not in a partisan spirit but in a genuine attempt to try to ensure that something happens to reduce the incidence of suicide at The Gap. Could I suggest to both the minister and the Prime Minister that all members of this House would congratulate them and thank them if a phone call was to be made to Woollahra council this afternoon to fix this matter up. A hundred thousand dollars, or thereabouts, is a small price to pay to prevent suicides at The Gap.

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

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, I did have a conversation with the member for Wentworth. I reiterate my offer to him. I am prepared to have a discussion with the mayor of Woollahra about achieving an appropriate outcome here. It is not in anyone’s interests for this to be a partisan issue. I have made that offer before. I accept that the member for Wentworth is genuine about his position on this. But, if you look at the statements that have been made in the Wentworth Courier, they are not appropriate at all. I reiterate to the member for Wentworth—he has got my mobile—that we can have a discussion and achieve an outcome, as I have already offered.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, the minister has invited me to confirm that we have had private conversations. It is true, we have. And he gave the same elaborate bureaucratic justification for not delivering any action in the private conversation. I should add that in a private conversation with a Woollahra councillor he said to that Woollahra councillor, ‘The reason the funding is not available is because it is in the electorate of Wentworth.’

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

Mr Albanese interjecting

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is what you said.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! Before giving the call to the Leader of the House, regrettably I say to all that it will be the final call on this matter and I will dwell on what he said. Indulgence is given in good faith. The Leader of the Opposition I did not think stretched it too far to abuse that indulgence; I am disappointed that the member for Wentworth decided to. I know that that is a harsh observation from the chair—I am just talking about when indulgence is given—because I am trying to give the House a lesson about the importance of indulgence. The easiest thing for me would have been not to give indulgence and to leave it at the point it was. I call the Leader of the House.