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

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to her statement to the House with respect to the contact between her chief of staff and the former Industrial Registrar Doug Williams that:

The facts on the public record are: the industrial registrar telephoned my chief of staff Ben Hubbard—not the other way around.

How does the Prime Minister reconcile her statement with that of the registrar in the KPMG-Fair Work Australia report released last night: 'After I got home I got a telephone call at home and, counter intuitively, unexpectedly on my home landline— (Time expired)

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The member for Fadden is warned.

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

I thank the shadow minister for education for his question. I am not at all surprised that the question is not about education, given that the opposition is trying to cover up its plans to cut public schools to get one in seven teachers out of the teaching service.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The Prime Minister will refer to the question before the chair.

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

I refer the member for Sturt to an answer to a question from 13 May 2010. It was a question from Senator Michael Ronaldson in the Senate where his matter arising out of Senate estimates was dealt with. I refer him to the paragraph dealing with the Industrial Registrar telephoning—

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

On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker: the Prime Minister is not even attempting to answer the question. The question was about the statement that was released last night—

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

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat.

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

I was referring to this paragraph in the answer:

The Industrial Registrar telephoned Mr Ben Hubbard (then Chief of Staff to—

me as Deputy Prime Minister—

on 8 April and advised that inquiries under section 330 of Schedule 1 of the Workplace Relations Act 1996 had been commenced in relation to the Health Services Union National Office and Victorian No 1 Branch and that investigation(s) under section 331 may ensue. Mr Williams also indicated he would not be making any public comment on the matter.

That paragraph is accurate and has been on the public record now since 13 May 2010—the best part of 2 ½ years.

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

My supplementary question of course goes to the fact that the call was from the chief of staff to the industrial registrar. I refer the Prime Minister to the revelation in the report that her chief of staff asked the registrar, 'Has the name Craig Thomson come up?' What knowledge did the Prime Minister's office have about the member for Dobell that suggested his involvement in the HSU scandal? (Time expired)

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

Back in the usual sleaze from the opposition—the paragraph I referred to correctly summarises the matter.

An incident having occurred in the gallery—

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

The Prime Minister has concluded her answer.

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

Madam Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: are we to believe that the Prime Minister has no intention of answering that question?

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

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat.