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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Over the 10 years from 2018 to 2027, what is the difference in dollar terms between the Prime Minister's schools policy and the policy under the previous, Labor government? Prime Minister, it is a dollar figure: what is the number?

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

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

Members on my right will cease interjecting. Members on my right unfortunately prevented me from hearing the last part of the question. I am going to ask the Leader of the Opposition to repeat his question.

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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Over the 10 years from 2018 to 2027, what is the difference in dollar terms between the Prime Minister's schools policy and the policy under the previous, Labor government? Prime Minister, it is a dollar figure: what is the number?

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

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. It is not uncommon to ask ministers and prime ministers to compare policies. But it is unusual to ask me to compare our policy, our budgeted, fully-funded policy, with Labor's fantasy. Labor promised all sorts of things—27 secret deals, no transparency, no needs-based funding. Shaking her head, the member for Sydney is outraged. The outrage should be from her supporters, and every one of them knows that their position on education has been a complete hypocrisy. I will tell you what we are spending: $18.6 billion in additional money over the next decade. While the Labor Party are unable to say how they would fund it or whether they would fund it—indeed, the member for Sydney was unable to even promise to commit to funding it—the coalition has committed. My government has committed to precisely what David Gonski recommended: national needs-based, consistent, transparent funding. Labor are not able to do that. They are wallowing in hypocrisy now, even as—

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. 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: I do not see how the Prime Minister can be directly relevant to a question asking for a number without naming one.

Government members interjecting—

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

Just before I call the Prime Minister, members on my right will cease interjecting. I have not called the Prime Minister. I am going to address the point of order. I know everyone wants to move quickly, but I think if a point of order is made I should be able to address it. The Manager of Opposition Business well knows that, whilst a specific question of that nature can be asked, they cannot demand a certain answer. The Prime Minister is in order. He is on the policy topic of the question. He is directly addressing—

Opposition members interjecting—

If you are interjecting you are arguing with me, and that is perilous, I am telling you! The Prime Minister is directly addressing the substance of the question. He is in order. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Labor Party's education policy was unjust, inconsistent and a corruption of what David Gonski recommended. As Ken Boston said, it was a betrayal of every value they claim to speak for. That betrayal does not stop there. They talk about jobs and they want to tax small and medium businesses more. They want to deny them the incentives to employ—

Ms Husar interjecting—

Ms Butler interjecting—

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

The member for Lindsay is warned! The member for Griffith is warned!

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

They talk about the NDIS. We heard from the Leader of the Opposition just before question time began about his commitment to the NDIS. Then he was unable to explain his extraordinary backflip. A few years ago he called on us all to support an increase in the Medicare levy to fund the NDIS but not to fully fund it. Now, when we have the chance to deliver on that vision, what do Labor do? They run for cover. Labor have no numbers. Labor have no funded numbers. I would say they have nothing funded.

Opposition members interjecting—

When it comes to numbers, the real question the Leader of the Opposition should be asking is: what are the numbers of the member for Grayndler?

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

The member for Berowra will just resume his seat for a second. The level of interjections was ridiculously high towards the end of that answer. A number of members were interjecting, particularly the member for Burt, who is now warned. I have warned two members: the member for Lindsay and the member for Griffith. The member for Lindsay continued to interject, so she will eject herself under 94(a). She can leave. Anyone else that is warned—

Ms Husar interjecting—

The member for Lindsay will leave or I will take more severe action.

The member for Lindsay then left the chamber.