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

My question is to the Assistant Treasurer. Given his admission that he has contacted selected businesses today to discuss changes to thin capitalisation rules ahead of the budget, will he detail which businesses and why?

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

I rise on a point of order. It is completely disorderly for a minister to be verballed in the way that a question is written—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Leader of the House has the call and will be heard in silence!

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

on the basis of the standing order which precludes argument from being used.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Sturt can rephrase the question without the argument.

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

Madam Speaker, my question is to the Assistant Treasurer. Given the Assistant Treasurer's earlier answer, where he said that he was consulting with businesses in relation to changes to the thin capitalisation rules today, ahead of the budget, will he detail which businesses and why? That is exactly what he said.

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

I rise on a point of order. He is almost there, but he cannot use argument. It is pretty easy to frame the question he seeks to ask; he is competent to do it and he should do it.

Mr Wyatt interjecting—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hasluck is warned. The Assistant Treasurer has the call.

David Bradbury (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer ) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said in my earlier answer, the government regularly engages in consultation with all manner of stakeholders, and that is entirely appropriate. I can indicate—

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

Before the announcement on budget day?

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Dickson is warned!

David Bradbury (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer ) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

throughout the course of any consultations, we are always very mindful of ensuring that no individual stakeholder obtains any advantage as a consequence of those consultations. That is appropriate, and that is the way in which we have conducted our discussions with stakeholders.