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. In light of the member for Holt's statement that he stands by his report and the statements he made about it, does she still maintain the member for Holt was wrong when he said that our security agencies' capacity to perform their task has been degraded?

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

The Prime Minister has the call.

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

Thank you very much and to the member for Sturt: I think the member for Holt gave a very elegant answer to the parliament. In addition to that very elegant answer, let me remind the member for Sturt that, as I said in this parliament yesterday, the review tabled by the member for Holt related to the 2010-11 budgets of the Australian intelligence community. The information that I have given the parliament yesterday and today is the most recent budget information. Indeed, the Leader of the Opposition, in his supplementary question, conceded that these are the facts; he conceded that I was giving the parliament facts. And the facts are as follows, that in the 2013-14 budget from 1 July there is a 10 per cent increase in funding for ASIO.

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 Speaker: the Prime Minister cannot be relevant to the question unless she admits the fact that she is claiming the member for Holt is wrong—

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

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat.

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

in the statement that he made.

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

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat.

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

No amount of changing the question—

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

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat! It is an abuse of the standing orders. The Leader of the House.

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

I was going to make that point, Speaker.

Mr Pyne interjecting—

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

I am warning the Manager of Opposition Business.

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

The member who asked the question may be bored about the facts relating to national security but I think the Australian nation is entitled to the facts, as are members of parliament who are thinking through these questions seriously rather than dealing with them as political playthings. So for people who are seriously interested in national security and consequently seriously interested in the facts, the facts about ASIO are these. Since coming to government in 2007, this government has increased funding for ASIO by 27 per cent. Over the same period the average staffing level for ASIO has increased 32 per cent. I have had the opportunity now to lay those facts before the parliament on a number of occasions in answer to questions from the opposition. Their campaign here is one that is being pursued in defiance of the facts, and that means that it is a campaign being pursued for base political reasons not in Australia's national interest.