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

My question is to the Prime Minister. In the past week the Prime Minister has repeatedly defended Dyson Heydon AC QC by referring to comments made by Julian Burnside QC. Is the Prime Minister aware of comments made by Mr Burnside today? He said:

It seems to me that an honourable person in his position would step down. … I would say I was misrepresented because Mr Abbott seems to have used my comment in support of Dyson Heydon not standing down.

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

As the shadow Attorney-General well knows, if people before a tribunal or a royal commission have an issue with the presiding officer, there are standard procedures that can be taken. There are standard procedures that can be taken—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Prime Minister, resume your seat.

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

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. In my almost 20 years in this place, I have rarely heard such a level of noise coming from the government benches while questions are being asked on this side. I ask him to bring to order what is obviously an orchestrated campaign—

Government members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hunter will resume his seat. Those on my right will cease interjecting. The member for Aston will cease interjecting. The minister will cease interjecting.