Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. Minister, in his last answer the Prime Minister said that Dr Grimes had to go because of an irreconcilable conflict between Dr Grimes and you. Minister, what was this conflict and didn't it really involve your handling of Hansardgate?

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I agree with the Prime Minister. It is remarkable the way the member for Hunter gets worked up. I have tried to discover some further documents to assist the member for Hunter. I have come up with a few. This one is from Michelle Grattan in The Sydney Morning Herald on 27 March. It is headed, 'I was wrong': Fitzgibbon says sorry'. It says:

Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon—

this was when he was the defence minister—

is "absolutely confident'' he has disclosed everything about sponsored trips to China paid for by businesswoman Helen Liu.

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I have two choices available to me, I believe. I can take a point of order on relevance or simply say, 'I rest my case.'

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

That is a total abuse of the standing orders with regard to points of order. If you try it again, you will leave the chamber.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Maybe he rests his case on, 'I was wrong': Fitzgibbon says sorry'. This is about how—

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The question was about the serious matter of the sacking of one of Australia's most distinguished public servants and the minister's role in it.

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

I have said before and I will say again that a point of order is not an invitation to repeat a question. You will make it relevant to the standing orders or you will not make it at all.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I thank you for giving me this chance to talk about further documents I have found. This one is entitled, 'Joel Fitzgibbon resigns as defence minister'.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The minister knows that he needs to be directly relevant, and he has made no attempt to answer the question.

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

We have had a point of order on relevance and you are only permitted one.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have been trying to discover documents that further elucidate the concerns of the member for Hunter. This article says:

Mr Fitzgibbon said he had quit after it was revealed his ministerial office was used for a meeting between a big US health insurer, Humana, his brother Mark, who heads the health fund NIB, and government and veterans' affairs officials.

Here is another one. It is entitled, 'Shamed Joel Fitzgibbon slams 'Judases' for his fall'. But I think the ABC report is the best.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

I refer the member for Isaacs to the Practice. He should resume his seat or leave the chamber.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

Leave under 94(a); the member for Isaacs is asked to leave under 94(a).

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

Because you were disorderly. The Manager of Opposition Business, who has returned to the chamber, has a point of order.

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

Madam Speaker, I raise a point of order. The minister is referring to members by their names rather than by their titles and I ask you to bring him to order.

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

I thank the Manager of Opposition Business. The member for Isaacs will leave under 94(a). The minister has the call and will properly refer to members by their titles.

The member for Isaacs then left the chamber.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The best article is by the ABC: 'Fitzgibbon defenceless against 'Judas' staff'.The member for Hunter said:

I have at least two or three Judas' in my midst …

Who are they? Who are these Judases in your midst? Who are these Judases?

Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order on direct relevance. This is a very serious issue—

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

There is no point of order. You are only entitled to one. Resume your seat. Resume your seat or leave under 94(a)!

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hunter said:

I have at least two or three Judas' in my midst, and they have the drip … on me.

So the question really needs to be, 'Who are the Judases on that side and who is the drip?'