Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. On 1 February this year, the Deputy Prime Minister made a statement about his previous portfolio responsibility for housing in agricultural areas, saying that people who live in cities who can't afford to buy their first home should find a cheaper house in Armidale. Does he stand by that statement? And can the Deputy Prime Minister tell Australia's first-home buyers how they too can get a rent-free home in Armidale from their mates?

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

That question's out of order.

Opposition members interjecting—

If members cease interjecting for a second, I will refer them to the aspect of the practice in the standing orders—I'm happy to stand corrected and hear from the Manager of Opposition Business, who's preparing to come to the dispatch box, but ministers can't be asked about their previous portfolios.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business (House)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order: the question began with a reference to a statement that was made by the Deputy Prime Minister on 1 February this year where he made a further statement about a previous portfolio. That was the quotation the question was referring to. The question has been deliberately framed in the same way as the 2006 ruling that you previously adjudicated on: if someone makes a further statement about a previous portfolio, it is in order to ask whether that's accurate.

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

Just before I hear from the Leader of the House, I'd like to hear the question again, to be fair.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Certainly, Mr Speaker. My question's to the Deputy Prime Minister. On 1 February this year, the Deputy Prime Minister made a statement about his previous portfolio responsibility for housing in agricultural areas, saying that people living in cities who can't afford to buy their first home—

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

The member for McMahon can resume his seat. I've heard enough; we don't need to hear the whole thing again. I think technically that's right: the question does refer to a statement, and it's been crafted in a way that makes it just in order. I call the Deputy Prime Minister.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for McMahon for his question and note that it is a statement of fact that houses in regional areas such as Tamworth, Armidale, Wagga and Orange are, invariably, on the whole, cheaper than they are in Sydney or Brisbane or Melbourne, and we should be doing everything in our power to encourage decentralisation.

Mr Watts interjecting—

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

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

The member for Gellibrand then left the chamber.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is why we've moved AgriFutures to Wagga Wagga. That is why we are putting the Regional Investment Corporation in Orange. That is why we are moving the APVMA to Armidale. That's why we are having the GRCD move to Toowoomba and northern and Western Australia. That's why we are moving some of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to Wodonga in Victoria. We believe in making sure that people have the opportunity to buy and pay off a house during their working life. That is why we are the government that believes in decentralisation.

I cannot understand why the Labor Party do not believe in decentralisation, why they do not have a policy on decentralisation and why they are offering nothing to the people who actually want to move. I've met so many people in Armidale and in Tamworth who have moved to these regional cities because they have a better standard of living, a better way of life, a better capacity to pay off their house. We on this side have a vision for our nation which grows beyond the crescent from Melbourne through to Adelaide—as good as that crescent is. We make sure that there's a greater purpose to our nation and that other places will grow. That's why we're building the Inland Rail. That's why we are standing by agriculture. You mentioned agriculture. We've had the biggest turn around in agricultural commodity prices in the history of our nation. We are proud of that, because we are the government that delivers.