Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Even former Prime Minister John Winston Howard believes that the Prime Minister's plan to play knights and dames is anachronistic. Why won't the Prime Minister get his priorities right and start focusing on the jobs of people who have been losing their jobs since he got elected?

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

The only people who are obsessing about honours are members opposite.

Mr Champion interjecting—

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

The member for Wakefield!

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

As is well known, the former Prime Minister, Mr Howard, has no greater champion than me. I am John Howard's greatest champion but, in case members opposite have not noticed, this is not the fifth term of the Howard government.

Nick Champion (Wakefield, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You are making Joe Lyons seem progressive.

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

The member for Wakefield will remove himself under 94(a).

The member for Wakefield then left the chamber.

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

The Howard government was a great government in its own way, and this government will endeavour to be a good government in our way. That is exactly what we are doing. Another respect in which this is a different government from the Howard government is that we have inherited a much worse fiscal legacy than the Howard government did.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Under standing order 104(a), there is no way that this is directly relevant to the question that was asked.

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

The question was about priorities—the Leader of the Opposition asked the Prime Minister to explain what his priorities were.

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

So that means anything is fine?

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

It means that the Prime Minister is answering the question.

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

John Howard and Peter Costello inherited Kim Beazley's $10 billion budget black hole. If only we were so lucky—if only it was just $10 billion, not the $123 billion in cumulative deficit we have inherited.

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

Madam Speaker, on a point of order: can the Prime Minister at least be brought into the current decade?

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

There is no point of order. That was an abuse of the standing orders.

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

Peter Costello and John Howard only had $96 billion worth of Labor debt to deal with. We have got $667 billion worth of Labor debt to deal with. I am full of admiration for John Howard and Peter Costello. They were great leaders of this country, but these times are different. The challenges that we have inherited, from a much worse Labor government than the one that they succeeded, are much bigger. We will rise to these challenges, and we well fix the fiscal hole that we have inherited.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Rise, Sir Tony!

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

If only he had the class of his mother-in-law, that is all I can say. On that note, I ask that further questions be left on the Notice Paper.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker—

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

I call—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, am I not here?

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

The member for Grayndler has been on his feet raising points of order that were not legitimate points of order. Does he have one now that is legitimate?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How do you know, Madam Speaker, before I have spoken?

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

Because I have heard them already. I refer you to page 189 of Practice.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am aware of Practice, Madam Speaker, and one of the things that happens not just in Practice but—

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

You will not argue with the chair. Resume your seat.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But I am making a point of order.

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

Then give the point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is that one of the things we do not do in this place is attack families. We do not attack families of members. That is one of the fundamental lines that we never cross.

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

Madam Speaker, obviously offence has been taken. I unconditionally withdraw.