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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware of reports that a consortium led by Pacific Blue Capital, a company run by his mate Scott Briggs, will bid for a $1 billion contract to privatise the government's visa-processing system? Given it's reported that the Prime Minister launched Pacific Blue Capital and that Mr Briggs worked for the Prime Minister's private investment firm, does the Prime Minister have a conflict of interest in relation to this $1 billion government contract, and, if so, how will he manage it?

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

That question is just a slur and a smear against the Prime Minister. He has absolutely no responsibility—

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The Leader of the House will resume his seat. Members on my left will cease interjecting. I don't know how many times I have to repeat myself. I need to hear the Leader of the House. He's entitled to be heard, just as the Manager of Opposition Business is entitled to be heard. If this persists, I will just lower the temperature rapidly through ejections. I would like the Leader of the House to raise his point of order, and I need to be able to hear him. If the Leader of the House could start again, because I only heard every second word.

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

That is a slur and a smear masquerading as a question. The Prime Minister has no responsibility for public tenders in other ministers' portfolios and therefore he couldn't possibly have any knowledge of the answer to that question.

Mr Hill interjecting—

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

The member for Bruce will leave under 94(a). Anyone else who wants to join him, speak now.

The member for Bruce then left the chamber.

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

Mr Speaker, on the point of order, there are two parts to the question—whether the Prime Minister has a conflict of interest and, if so, how he manages it. The other information is provided only to the extent that it's necessary to make sense of the question.

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

In ruling on this question, there are aspects of the question that I think are out of order, but not of the volume we had yesterday. The Prime Minister, as other ministers do under the Practice, has every option to answer the question himself or refer it to another minister if they so wish. So it's close to the line, but I am going to allow the question to proceed.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can confirm that my department is in a tender process at the moment. The normal probity arrangements are in place. The Prime Minister and I are not decision-makers in relation to this particular tender, and it's the case with tenders across the Commonwealth that they are dealt with by the appropriate officers within the respective departments, in relation to this matter, in relation to my own department, and all of the normal procedures will be followed, and that is an issue for the departments, as the Leader of the Opposition well knows. But I'll say one thing: we are not going to take a morals lecture from this man, not on this topic, not on any topic. We are not going to take a lecture on morals from this man in relation to—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The Minister will resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition did not ask the question.