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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that since the House last sat, five weeks ago, he has cancelled parliament; ruled out a banking royal commission, then announced a banking royal commission; halted the NBN rollout for two million households; had cabinet ministers calling for investigations into each other over cabinet leaks; and been accused by his own backbenchers of a failure of leadership? When will the Prime Minister admit he's lost control of his government and he's lost all authority as Prime Minister?

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

A lot of things have gone on in the last five weeks and several of them have been overlooked by the Leader of the Opposition, including the result in New England. I have to say, Mr Speaker, the Labor Party put in a strong showing, comfortably ahead of the informal vote. It just got into double figures. Barnaby Joyce's swing was larger than the Labor Party's primary vote! It only happened on Saturday, but I'm not surprised the Leader of the Opposition has blotted it out of his memory.

One of the things that have occurred over the last five weeks that the Leader of the Opposition should not blot out of his memory is what advice he gave to Sam Dastyari before he met with Mr Huang. The Leader of the Opposition should not easily forget Mr Huang, because he visited him at his house last year. So he has a very good familiarity with the gentleman. The Leader of the Opposition remembers very well the function that he attended on 17 June with Senator Dastyari, with Mr Huang. And then, shortly after that, Senator Dastyari had a press conference with Mr Huang in the media briefing room at the Commonwealth parliamentary office in Sydney. There are two lecterns, two podiums, there. Each of them has the Australian coat of arms. Dastyari stood at one; Mr Huang stood at the other.

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

I just remind the Prime Minister to refer to members by their correct title.

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

Senator Dastyari stood at one; Mr Huang stood at the other. It was there that Senator Dastyari said these words, apparently written for him by someone else:

The South China Sea is China's own affair. On this issue Australia should remain neutral and respect China's decision.

This came after Mr Huang had paid off some debts for Senator Dastyari. It reads like the talking points from the Global Times in Beijing. That's what it was: Senator Dastyari contradicting Australian government policy and Labor Party policy on the South China Sea. Well, he got sacked for that. Perhaps the Leader of the Opposition, as he trolls through the last five weeks, could remember what advice he gave Senator Dastyari that prompted him to tell Mr Huang how to avoid surveillance by ASIO. (Time expired)