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

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's answer just now and ask again: can the Prime Minister advise the House whether he donated $2 million or more than two $2 million to the Liberal Party during the election? The Prime Minister knows the answer. Why won't he tell us?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Members on my left! The Leader of the House on a point of order.

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

Mr Speaker, this question is a complete red herring. The truth is: it does not relate to the Prime Minister's responsibilities as Prime Minister. It does not come within his responsibilities, and therefore he cannot be asked about it.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Members on my left—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

The member for Grayndler and the member for Gorton will cease interjecting. I can barely hear the Leader of the House. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order?

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

Thank you, Mr Speaker, to the point of order: this question refers to a previous answer given within this parliament by the Prime Minister. It then asks, within that answer, why the Prime Minister is unwilling to provide the information to the parliament. That is a completely legitimate question to ask.

Mr Pyne interjecting—

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

The Leader of the House will cease interjecting.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

Mr Pyne interjecting—

The member for Isaacs will seek interjecting, as will the Leader of the House. I presume the Leader of the House wants me to rule on the point of order. The Leader of the House makes a reasonable point. I considered ruling out the first question on this matter. I did because it does not go directly to the Prime Minister's responsibilities and it was very lineball. I did allow it, and the Prime Minister answered the question. This question, however, refers to that previous answer. It covers much of the same territory, and, for that reason, I will allow it.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I have been scrupulous in disclosures of donations, receipts of donations under the Electoral Act, and the—

Ms Macklin interjecting—

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

The member for Jagajaga is warned.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not wish to make a big point of it, but the honourable member opposite, of course, overlooked a donation for eight years. What the honourable member is asking me to do is make a disclosure in advance of it being disclosed under the act. Any disclosures that I make are made in accordance with the law and to the Electoral Commission and are then disclosed by the AEC at the normal time. I comply scrupulously with the law, and the honourable member would be well-advised to look to his own party to ensure that they do so too.