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

Will you consult with the Clerk of the House and identify (1) whether the cuts that the Treasurer just referred to in relation to the School Visitation Program were contemplated by the appropriations committee of the parliament?

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

Stop digging!

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

Will you shut up!

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the House! The member for North Sydney has the right to ask a question and be heard in silence. The member for North Sydney has the call.

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

Hear, hear! Question No. 2: was the draft memorandum or a memorandum along the lines that were tabled—and I seek leave to table the document 'Office of the Clerk of the House to all members, Department of the House of Representatives: Budget Outlook'—distributed to members? No. 3: how many people received a further email from the Clerk of the House on Friday, and did it identify that the cuts to the hospitality program were actually under review and would continue to be reviewed?

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

Stop digging!

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

No. 4: I refer to the statement from the Clerk of the House today, where he says—

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

Point of order.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House on a point of order?

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

No, don't try and close me down! You want the truth on this; let's get it! Let's get the truth.

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

The Speaker has made it very clear that such an abuse would not be permitted—that questions to the Speaker with regard to—

Mr Hockey interjecting—

This is not an appropriate form of question to the Speaker at all. This is an abuse. It is an attempt to have a debate.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House will resume his seat. The Leader of the House is correct insofar as the Speaker has only allowed questions in respect of matters before the chair. This is an administrative question and because I think it is so important I am going to allow the member for North Sydney to conclude his question.

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

Madam Deputy Speaker, I raise it because it goes to your statement at the beginning of question time, which we chose to allow through so we could go through the proper format. Otherwise, I could have asked these questions at that time. So it is not out of order.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, and that is why I am allowing the member for North Sydney to do it. But I would like him to come to his conclusion.

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

Question No. 4, could you seek clarification from the Clerk where he says in his statement today that the cuts to the school hospitality program will not:

... proceed at this stage with the option of stopping the provision of hospitality to visiting schoolchildren. This decision will enable the matter to be reviewed thoroughly and we will report back to the committee on it.

Meaning that the matter is not resolved. Finally, could you advise whether the Treasurer has deliberately misled the Australian people by claiming that it is entirely incorrect—

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for North Sydney has overstepped the mark. He will resume his seat. The member for Oxley has indicated he has a personal explanation. The member for Oxley has the call.