Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister expect Australians to believe the employment minister's office watched the minister mislead the Senate five times before midday yesterday, but didn't say a thing? The senior media adviser, who has now resigned, attended the Prime Minister's question time briefing with the minister but said nothing, and the adviser then heard the Prime Minister be asked twice about the matter during question time, but still did nothing.

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

I thank the honourable member for his question. He's addressed a number of questions to the media adviser concerned, who has properly resigned after a very, very wrong, improper act of indiscretion.

Mr Champion interjecting—

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

The member for Wakefield!

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

He was wrong to do what he has admitted to, but he was right to resign.

Mr Champion interjecting—

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

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

The member for Wakefield then left the chamber.

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

I want to draw honourable members' attention—in the context of the remarks made yesterday by the member for Gorton and indeed some very intemperate remarks by the member for Whitlam just before question time—to a statement from the Australian Federal Police Commissioner, Andrew Colvin. This is what Commissioner Colvin says. He says:

The AFP requires the ongoing assistance and support of the public to serve the community in which we all—

Ms Ryan interjecting—

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

The member for Lalor will cease interjecting. The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The member for Gorton.

Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaker, on relevance: I did not ask a question about the statement of the Federal Police; I asked about—

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

The member for Gorton will resume his seat.

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

The member for Gorton will resume his seat!

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

The member for Gorton is warned. He has a habit of ignoring me when I ask him to resume his seat. It is not an opportunity in a point of order to rant and rave across the dispatch box when you do not have the call. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

The commissioner, Andrew Colvin, notes:

The AFP has this week been the subject of commentary and innuendo regarding its independence and the ability of AFP members to carry out their work objectively and without political interference.

He says:

The AFP requires the ongoing assistance and support of the public to serve the community in which we all live, and undertakes its activities without fear or favour. The AFP rejects in the strongest terms any suggestion to the contrary. The AFP makes all its operational decisions independently, based on experience, operational priorities and the law.

The AFP's primary obligations are to ensure the safety and security of the Australian community and enforce the rule of law.

Mr Khalil interjecting—

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

The member for Wills is warned.

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

He says:

The AFP prides itself on its independence and integrity, and has a proven track record of these values while operating under the remit of eight individual Prime Ministers and their governments since it was founded in 1979.

It's about time the Leader of the Opposition disowned all of these disgraceful, reckless attacks on the integrity of the AFP by his members. The Leader of the Opposition should reflect on the fact that the Australian Federal Police, the men and women of that force, keep us safe. They are independent. They uphold the rule of law, and it's about time Labor did too.

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

Just before I call the member for Kennedy, I've got some business to get through here.

Ms Catherine King interjecting—

I warned the member for Ballarat yesterday. Again today.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sorry.

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

No, I'm not accepting 'sorry'. We don't do that. It's not a negotiation. You can leave under 94(a).

The member for Ballarat then left the chamber.