Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is again to the Prime Minister. When did the Prime Minister or his office first become aware of Cadbury's request for a $16 million grant to redevelop its manufacturing facility in Hobart? Did the Assistant Minister for Health's former chief of staff or his company make any representations on this project?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I just wish to make two points in response to the member's question. On a day when 5,000 jobs have been lost at Qantas, you would think members opposite would be supporting a job-creating project in Tasmania. I say to the member opposite: if she is serious about this, what is her view? Was this a good proposal or was this a bad proposal?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order on direct relevance, Madam Speaker: if the Prime Minister is drawing a link because Cadbury is a tourism company and therefore he thinks there is a link with Qantas, maybe. But beyond that there is no relationship between what the Prime Minister is talking about now and the question before the House.

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

Madam Speaker, on the point of order: the Prime Minister was good enough to rise to answer this question—

Opposition members interjecting—

but the fact remains that there is a serious question mark over whether this inquiry from the opposition was in order, given that the circumstances they inquired about did not occur while the Prime Minister was the Prime Minister or had any executive responsibility in the way that they are trying to convey.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, to take a point of order about the content of a question, as you have frequently ruled, it needs to be taken at the time. We would never be allowed to raise the point that he is raising right now.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister wishes to continue and he has the call.

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The second point I make to the member for Ballarat is that this was a decision taken by the coalition in opposition. It was submitted to the people at the election, and the people supported it.