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

My question is to the Prime Minister. According to former Prime Minister Abbott, the minister for immigration and the Minister for Justice made a deal to trade guns for votes, without the authority of the then Prime Minister. What steps has the Prime Minister taken to determine whether what the former Prime Minister said was true or whether the minister for immigration or the Minister for Justice are telling the truth instead and that the Prime Minister's office was in fact advised?

Mr Champion interjecting—

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

The member for Wakefield will cease interjecting. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

The honourable member speaks about guns. He speaks about safety. The truth that is, as we know, is that the vast majority of gun crimes are committed with illegal weapons, unlawfully imported—smuggled, indeed—into Australia—

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

More often by bikies.

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

And more often by bikies, as the Treasurer observed. That is the fact.

Ms Chesters interjecting—

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

The member for Bendigo will leave under 94(a).

The member for Bendigo then left the chamber.

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

We have a very high standard of firearm regulation in Australia—the envy of the world. But what we have is a very significant black market trade in illegal weapons smuggled into Australia. Our law enforcement agencies do everything they can to stamp it out. Our job as parliamentarians is to give them the tools to do that job. That is why we have sought to persuade the opposition to back a minimum mandatory sentence of five years for gun smuggling, for illegal trafficking in guns, and to double the maximum penalties from 10 to 20 years. We get in response the claim that the opposition does not as a matter of principle—

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

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

On direct relevance, Mr Speaker. I appreciate your rule regarding preambles being allowed in questions. We are now halfway into it, and the question is quite specific.

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

I have heard the Manager of Opposition Business.

Mrs Sudmalis interjecting—

The member for Gilmore will cease interjecting. I have made very clear my approach to preambles in the interest of free-flowing debate. I have also made clear in rulings in terms of answers being relevant to the policy area, which the Prime Minister is. The question had a number of aspects to it. The Prime Minister is entirely relevant to the question.

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

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. So we have asked the opposition to support these tougher sentences to help us stamp out gun smuggling, the illegal traffic in guns, that provides the weapons that are used in the vast majority of gun crimes—figures of well over 90 per cent, in fact, when I say the 'vast majority'. So, if the opposition is serious about the fair, appropriate and efficient regulation of guns to keep Australians safe, they would back us. But, no; as usual, far from being interested in principle, they are more interested in politics.

Turning to the specific question, I have made inquiries of my ministers and I can say to the House that, as a result of those inquiries, I am satisfied that the Minister for Justice acted in the full knowledge of the Prime Minister's office at that time.

Mr Watts interjecting—

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

The member for Gellibrand is warned!