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

I seek leave to move a motion against the Prime Minister.

Leave not granted.

So much for enthusiasm to debate parliamentary issues. I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Maribyrnong from moving the following motion forthwith—That the House:

(1) condemns the Prime Minister for his plans to:

(a) force Australian students to pay $100,000 for university degrees;

(b) saddle Australian students with a debt sentence;

(c) force young Australians to choose between owning a home and getting a degree;

(d) force Australians to choose between starting a family and getting a degree; and

(e) stop older Australians from developing new skills in a changing economy;

(2) condemns the Prime Minister for:

(a) saying one thing on higher education before the election and doing the opposite after;

(b) his failure to listen to the Australian people who have comprehensively rejected the Prime Minister’s plans for $100,000 university degrees; and

(c) his failure to listen to the Senate which voted against the Prime Minister’s $100,000 degree proposal only last night; and

(3) calls on the Prime Minister to immediately bring the Higher Education and Research Reform Bill on for debate, if the Government is determined to introduce the bill, so that this Parliament can again comprehensively reject the Prime Minister’s plans for $100,000 degrees.

Labor will not support higher fees, bigger debt, decreased access and greater inequality. We want the Liberal Party to stick by its promise that they will—

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

The member will resume his seat. I call the parliamentary secretary.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Leader of the Opposition be no longer heard.

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

The question is that the member be no longer heard.

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

Is the motion seconded?

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion. It is time this Prime Minister started listening to the Australian people and scrapped—

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

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

The question is that the member be no longer heard.

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

It is important that this suspension of standing orders be carried. The Minister for Education has not even bothered to come to the chamber. He is not even here—

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

The member will resume his seat. And the minister will resume his seat. I intend to put the question. The question is that the suspension motion be agreed to.

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

Madam Speaker, I am in the middle of my speech.

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

The question is that the motion be agreed to. I call the member for Watson.

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

They are running scared. They know the Australian people oppose what they are doing on higher education—

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

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

The question is that the member be no longer heard.

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the question be now put.

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

The question is that the question be now put.

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

The question now is that the suspension motion be agreed to.

The House divided. [10:00]

(The Speaker—Hon. Bronwyn Bishop)

Question negatived