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

My question is to the Prime Minister. At Senate estimates, the Attorney-General said

As I am at pains to point out to you, I have a high regard for Professor Triggs. It was an awkward situation.

So, if the Attorney-General has a high regard for Professor Triggs, was this whole thing the Prime Minister's idea?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, question time is about asking questions of the government; it is not fishing expeditions by the opposition, especially when they make up quotes which were not mentioned in the Senate estimates yesterday. That is not the purpose of question time, and I would ask you to rule it out under standing order 100.

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

Madam Speaker, on the point of order, the assertion from the Leader of the House is that the Prime Minister is not capable of answering whether something is his own idea.

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

No, the member will resume his seat. That is not speaking to the point of order. The Leader of the House makes a fair point.

Opposition members interjecting—

And the guffawing can stop. The Leader of the House makes a fair point, and I do not believe the question is in order and as such will rule it out of order. I call the honourable member for Eden-Monaro.

Peter Hendy (Eden-Monaro, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister—

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

The member will resume his seat. I call the Manager of Opposition Business

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

Madam Speaker, I am just trying to work out what the ruling is on why that was out of order.

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

Because it is in breach of—the Leader of the House will resume his seat. I am ruling it out of order under both standing orders 98 and 100.