Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Human Services and the Minister for Social Inclusion. Would the minister inform the House about how the government's Social Inclusion Agenda is ensuring that all Australians are treated equally and with respect? How has this agenda been received and what is the government's response?

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I really want to thank the member for Kingston for that very important question, because it is true that we on this side believe that all of our homes, our communities and our workplaces should be safe places, where people feel respected. Our government is helping to build resilient, stable and safe communities by undertaking things like changing our workplace laws; getting rid of Work Choices; working with the not-for-profit sector on building a national compact; taking a place based approach to ensure that the benefits of the mining boom flow, even to our most disadvantaged communities and our most disadvantaged people; focusing on long-neglected issues like mental health and homelessness and closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage; and recognising that the success of government programs depends not just on what is delivered but on how we deliver those programs.

The relationships that we have as a government with our community have to be respectful and they have to be adult. When conflicts arise, we need to deal with those matters as adults. We need to argue on the issues based on the facts that are available to us. That is why it was so very disappointing today to see the attack on the Minister for Finance and Deregulation by Senator Bushby. In fact, estimates is a terrific opportunity for—

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

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Lest one of the standing orders about imputations and offensive words be infringed, I should indicate to the House that Senator Bushby has apologised to Senator Wong.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order!

Sophie Mirabella (Indi, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Where were you when Belinda attacked an unborn child, feminist hypocrite!

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

Order! The member for Indi is not assisting at all.

Honourable members interjecting—

It may not be the time. The Leader of the Opposition has taken that opportunity to place on record something that he thinks of moment. The minister has the call.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First of all, Senator Bushby's spokesperson said that Senator Wong was overly sensitive and using her gender to hide her overreaction to a simple request, but later, I acknowledge, the senator did tell news.com.au that he had not intended to attack Senator Wong because she was a woman. Senator Bushby said:

Her reaction to the issue of the secretary's appearance was like that of an angry cat. It could have been a male or female cat. So I thought she was like an angry cat, the way they sometimes strike out. I like cats.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The minister will resume her seat. I simply say to the whole House that the House should proceed with absolute care.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I think everyone in this House agrees that there is room for humour in this House and in the other place. I think we all agree that there is room for rough and tumble. I think we all know that politics is a business where there is a degree of conflict. But what I am tired of—and what so many women are tired of—is that whenever there is conflict we have the Leader of the Opposition and his senior shadow ministers reverting to this sort of sexist language.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order!

Sophie Mirabella (Indi, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Remember Latham?

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

The member for Indi is warned!

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

Mr Speaker, on a point of order, I would counsel the minister very strongly against adopting this tactic and I would ask her to withdraw the imputation she has just made against the coalition.

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

Order! I simply say again that, whilst it is often characterised that this is a robust chamber, there have to be limitations. I have placed on record that I am uncomfortable about the amount of debate that goes on in question time and I indicate that, if this is to be pursued by way of debate, it would be better if there were a question before the chair. I just hope that everybody takes that on board when the minister proceeds to conclude the response. I ask that people be very careful whether they have the call or not.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will wind up, because—

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

Mr Speaker—

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I just want to finish this.

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

Order! The minister and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume their places. Occupants of the chair have been placed in this predicament on many occasions and often come to the conclusion that the only basis for not requiring a withdrawal is that this is a robust chamber. Regrettably, I am in a position that I believe that this is a marginal call, but I am very discomfited by the proceedings. That is what I have tried to convey and that is why I would appreciate it if the House could slow down and lower the temperature of this discussion.

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

Mr Speaker, I ask the minister to withdraw, and I repeat my request that she withdraw. In order to conclude this debate with a degree of civility I ask the minister to withdraw.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition has now placed that on record twice. I have made a comment to that and I am now calling the minister, in conclusion.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker, I am not in a position to withdraw the comments of other members of parliament and senators but I will say, as the Minister for Social Inclusion—

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The minister will resume her seat. The proceedings are not being helped by anybody interjecting across the chamber. I would hope that everybody realises that there is a high degree of sensitivity at the moment. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

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

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The minister imputed that the Leader of the Opposition and senior members of the leadership team are sexist. I am a senior member of the leadership team, I take offence at that and I ask the minister to withdraw it.

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

I am not in the habit of marking homework, but that word was not used.

Honourable members interjecting—

Order! I have not changed my position. I have endeavoured to get members to focus on how close this is to being absolutely unseemly. The minister has the call, in conclusion.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. As Minister for Social Inclusion I have seen this government promote respectful relationships campaigns between young Australian men and women. We have asked our Defence Force young people to treat women better—

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

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. In far less sensitive circumstances than the one we are facing now you have required members to withdraw unconditionally and in the interests of civil debate they have done so. In relation to this matter, as a senior member of the leadership team of the coalition, I take offence at the imputation, the Manager of Opposition Business has indicated that he does, and I am sure the rest of my colleagues feel the same way. In the interests of civil debate, Mr Speaker, please ask the minister to withdraw and then we can move on.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! This is now the third occasion that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the Manager of Opposition Business have put forward a point of view. I have emphasised the importance that that point of view has been put by those individuals. I have indicated my comments and I think that, without giving the direction, I have indicated that no matter how I characterise robust debate there is discomfort, but I am not taking it further and I have invited the minister to conclude her answer.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, there is no place in this House of Representatives, in the Senate or in our committees for the sort of sexist language that we have heard today and for the sort of sexist language that we have heard in the past. As Minister for Social Inclusion I do not think it is right that half our population should feel excluded by this type of language.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The minister has concluded.

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

Mr Speaker, I would refer you to page 501 of the Practice where it says:

It is not in order to use offensive words against, make imputations against, or reflect on another Member by means of a quotation or by putting words in someone else’s mouth.

The minister has been quite out of order and when she was asked to withdraw she properly should. She is quite out of order.