Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I remind the Prime Minister of the revelation by the former foreign minister:

… decisions … were taken, in my absence … and then announced and implemented … without my knowledge, in the case of … the Malaysia solution … and then off they went only to discover they didn’t work.

Why was the foreign minister not consulted and why was a cabinet decision announced and implemented without his knowledge on a matter which so obviously impacted on Australia's relationship with Malaysia?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There were proper cabinet processes in relation to this matter and we operate a proper cabinet government. Because we operate a proper cabinet government, we are able to assess the policy merits of various proposals. That is why, for example, we will never agree to the opposition's policy proposal to put the lives—

Mr Dutton interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume her seat. I require the member for Dickson to withdraw the statement he just made when he asked the Prime Minister: 'Was she lying?'.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I am happy to withdraw, but I made no such accusation. I said to the Prime Minister, 'Is he lying?' I made no such accusation of her.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I accept the assurance of the honourable member. The Prime Minister has the call.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Because of proper assessment of policy proposals we will never join the opposition in putting the lives of ADF personnel at risk at sea in pursuit of their so-called 'turn the boats back' policy. It has been rejected by senior officers of the ADF as unsafe and risky and the Leader of the Opposition should not stand by it.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume her seat. I gather the honourable member for Fadden is deferring to his leader.

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Science, Technology and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Of course, Mr Speaker. I have respect for my leader as opposed to those opposite.

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

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: the Prime Minister has accused the opposition of putting the lives of ADF personnel at risk. This is a deeply offensive suggestion—

Government members interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The leader will resume his seat until the House is entirely silent when he will be given the call. He is making a point which I need to consider.

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

The Prime Minister claimed, just a few moments ago, that the opposition has deliberately put the lives of ADF personnel at risk. She agrees that that is the claim she has made. That claim is deeply offensive and she should be required to withdraw.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not consider what the Prime Minister said to be disorderly insofar as she expressed a view that actions of the opposition were putting the lives of ADF personnel at risk. However, having said that, I am keen to see more civility in the chamber and I would ask the Prime Minister would she assist the House by rephrasing the form of the words she previously used.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I am doing is endorsing the words of Vice Admiral Ray Griggs when he pointed to the risks of turning boats around. He is a man who would know. It follows that if you are putting people at risk at sea you are putting their lives in danger. I am saying that that is the policy the opposition will take to the next election. Of course, the—

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 on relevance. The Prime Minister was asked why the foreign minister was not consulted about the Malaysian people swap. She was not asked about anything else and she should answer that question.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will be directly relevant.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the question I was asked there was a proper cabinet process. We work in accordance with proper cabinet processes and of course we have been prepared to deal with the opposition in a spirit of goodwill of getting legislation through the parliament. We have been repudiated on that because they have no attachment to the national interest. In this parliament I have pointed to the words of the Chief of Navy on the question of the risks of turning back boats.

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

Mr Speaker, I ask a supplementary question of the Prime Minister. We know exactly what the former foreign minister said. He said that he was not consulted and that cabinet processes did not work in this case. Is the Prime Minister saying that the former foreign minister is being deceptive?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand that it is the approach of the opposition to come into this place and throw insults. I have answered the opposition's policy. The matter of substance here is how to deal with border security and border protection, and the biggest matter of substance in relation to that is whether or not you have a plan to put at risk the lives of ADF personnel. The opposition does.