Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. Documents available on the official climatechangeinaustralia.gov.au website state:

However, in your first speech only a few years ago, you said that, just because there is less rain:

It does not mean we all need to listen to a government grant-seeking academic sprouting doom and gloom about climate changing irreversibly.

Then, a couple of years later, you referred to it in parliament as 'so-called climate change'. Deputy Prime Minister, are you still a climate-change denier?

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

The member for Melbourne has been in the House long enough to know that he needs to ask ministers about issues for which they are responsible, not about first speeches, not about any other speeches. The member for Melbourne can resume his seat. The Deputy Prime Minister, as far as I am aware with the tabling of the new ministerial responsibilities, is still the Minister for Veterans Affairs and he is the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, and that question in no way goes to his responsibilities. We will go to the next question.

Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

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

If the member could resume his seat. The member for Melbourne is seeking to raise a point of order about a question which I have described as clearly out of order.

Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The parliament currently has an inquiry underway on the effects of climate change on infrastructure.

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

The member for Melbourne will resume his seat. I'm going to be very clear for the member for Melbourne. I've made my views known on this particular standing order before. The Leader of the Opposition has heard me on this issue. The Leader of the Opposition gets 30 seconds for each question. The crossbench get 45 seconds. You had 45 seconds and you couldn't relate the material to his ministerial responsibilities. It is clearly out of order. I am not going to argue and waste the time of the House on issues that are black-and-white in the standing orders.