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

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister—and I refer to his previous answers. In addition to the over $5,000 of taxpayers' money, did Mr Maguire's business receive any more taxpayers' money because any of the more than 80 attendees were booked to stay at the hotel that was selected by the government to host the event?

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

The Leader of the House on a point of order.

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

Mr Speaker, for the Deputy Prime Minister to be able to be questioned about this particular matter it needs to have been in his portfolio at the time he was a minister, and the member for Isaacs has not clarified whether he's talking about a grant under the department of agriculture or the department of transport and infrastructure.

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

The Manager of Opposition Business—you can address the point of order.

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

Thanks, Mr Speaker. The question refers specifically to the previous answers of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Mr Pyne interjecting—

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

The Leader of the House will be quiet. I'm going to hear the Manager of Opposition Business.

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

It's referring specifically to that. It's referring also to the document from a question on notice in the Senate. None of that has been disputed. But the relevance of it to the standing orders is, quite specifically, the following on from an earlier answer, where the Deputy Prime Minister said he had no idea this payment had been made. Given that he was present at the event, it's a legitimate line of inquiry.

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

The Leader of the House?

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

Mr Speaker, the answer that the Deputy Prime Minister gave was that he would take it on notice. In other words, he's prepared to go away and find out what the grant is about. Yet the member for Isaacs is pursuing a line of questioning after it's been clearly stated that he'd take it on notice. It might not even be in the Deputy Prime Minister's portfolio, and, under standing orders, it would therefore be out of order.

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

I've heard from both the Leader of the House and the Manager of Opposition Business. I'll make two points. With respect to the last point the Leader of the House made, whilst he makes that point, there's nothing in the standing orders to prevent repetitive questioning—there's really not—unless it's absolutely identical. Secondly, as we've seen before in this House, once a statement's been made, questions are asked about the statement and questions are then asked about previous answers. I think that opens the door for the question to be in order. But, of course, it's quite within the standing orders as well, as the Deputy Prime Minister's done, to give whatever answer he sees fit, or to take the question on notice. It's quite within the standing orders. The Deputy Prime Minister has the call.

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. As I said, I will take the question, which he referred to previously and then there again, on notice. As to where people stay after a function, I honestly would have no idea, so I won't be able to answer that part of the question.