Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. The ministerial standards require ministers to not to mislead the parliament. Four times the Deputy Prime Minister told the parliament that he did not approach Mr Greg Maguire to ask him for a place to stay. Since then, the Daily Telegraph and The Australian have both publicly confirmed that Mr Maguire told them it was the Deputy Prime Minister who phoned Mr Maguire. Has the Deputy Prime Minister already misled the parliament four times today, in breach of the ministerial standards?

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

I thank the honourable member for Isaacs for his question, and I stand by my statement of this morning. I did not ring Mr Maguire and ask him for a place for free. I did not.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Pat Conroy (Shortland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh, that's different.

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

The Deputy Prime Minister will resume his seat. The member for Shortland will cease interjecting. I've said to members repeatedly, they expect me to listen to the answers to rule on points of order. I'll have no tolerance for interjections. I need to hear the answer and, I tell you what, those interjecting don't need to be here.

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

Mr Maguire approached me. He made an offer. I offered to pay for it. He said that I didn't have to worry about it, because I was a mate. If you just think about it logically—

An opposition member: Not your strong point.

you would hardly ring someone up, ask for something for free, then offer to pay for it and then get it for free, and that's because it didn't happen. It is as per the statement.