Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday, referring to the Prime Minister's cuts to the ABC, Senator Abetz said, 'Nobody has lost their job.' Prime Minister, with the announcement yesterday that 400 ABC staff would lose their jobs, how can the government continue to deny that its broken promises are hurting Australians?

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

Obviously, I deeply regret the fact that changes which the ABC management have made will produce job reductions. I deeply regret that. But, if the Deputy Leader of the Opposition were as concerned about jobs as she says she is, or as she claims to be, why don't they support the East West Link in Melbourne? There are 7,000 jobs in the East West Link, and members opposite want to rip up the contract. That is what they want to do. There are 7,000 jobs in the East West Link, and members opposite support Dan Andrews in wanting to rip up those contracts. If they are fair dinkum, they should tell Dan Andrews to keep the contracts and keep the jobs.

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. If the Manager of Opposition Business is going to ask a question on relevance, it was quite relevant, as the question was about jobs. The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat.

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

I rise on a point of order, Madam Speaker. I still have the right to raise the point of order.

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

Unless I do not think it is relevant.

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

Madam Speaker, are we now at the point where, if a question is asked about ABC jobs, any job in the nation other than ABC is suddenly relevant to the question? That makes question time irrelevant.

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

Your question is irrelevant. The member will resume his seat. If he reads the Practice he will find that there is provision there that if it is anticipated that a point of order is going to be one which is not helpful to the cause, it does not have to be taken. I would refer you to the Practice.