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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Has the Prime Minister, or any member of her ministry or staff, held discussions during the past week with any of the Independent members of parliament regarding legal fees they are incurring in current court cases?

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

I can certainly say I personally have spoken to the Independents—a number of them—during the course of the week about a range of matters. I see them regularly. They raise electorate matters with me. For example, the member for New England raises electorate matters with me, and there have been some interesting events in his electorate overnight so I am sure they will come in for some discussion as well. I have not had anybody raise with me the topic the Deputy Leader of the Opposition refers to.