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

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Watson from moving the following motion forthwith:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(2) therefore, calls on the Prime Minister to;

We are only asking this government to hold to the standards that they've imposed on Senator Canavan—nothing more; nothing less. The Deputy Prime Minister himself today has conceded on the floor of the parliament that he was—

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

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

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

The question is that the member for Watson be no longer heard.

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

Is the motion seconded?

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

I second the motion. This Deputy Prime Minister now stands condemned by his own words not on one occasion but on two occasions. The first time was when he decided to give us his learned opinion on section 44(i) of the Constitution when he admitted that anyone holding dual citizenship is not qualified to serve in this place. The second time was during question time today when he conceded that up until the weekend, at least, he was a citizen of New Zealand. Therefore, he is clearly in contravention of section 44(i) of the Constitution.

This motion before the House, put by the Manager of Opposition Business, is both important and urgent. Why? Because it goes to the very heart of our Westminster system. A minister of the Crown should not serve in this place, should not exercise the power of the executive, without the confidence of this place. When this House yesterday unanimously resolved to refer this minister to the High Court, it, in effect, expressed no confidence in this minister. His Prime Minister and the minister himself should have taken notice of that.

But they do have form. For the last two years I have been trying to get just a peep at the so-called coalition agreement. We haven't been able to get the coalition agreement. In fact, the Prime Minister has me in the Federal Court spending taxpayers' money, opposing my right and the right of the Australian community—

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

The Leader of the House, on a point of order. I think I know what it is. The member for Hunter will resume his seat.

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

Mr Speaker, at first I thought he was going to be better than yesterday. Then I thought the member for Watson might have shot him down. As he hasn't, I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

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

The question is that the member for Hunter be no further heard.

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

The question is that the motion moved by the Manager of Opposition Business be agreed to.

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

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.