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

Today, the former Prime Minister, the member for Warringah declared that the only way the coalition can win the next election is to harvest Hanson preferences. Is that what the Prime Minister meant when he told the House in question time in February last year that parties will reach preference deals in order to maximise their chances of success? Is this why the government did a deal with One Nation to give multinationals and the big banks a $65 billion handout?

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, that question is a very, very long bow to draw in relation to the Prime Minister's responsibilities. The two issues that the Manager of Opposition Business raised have no connection with each other at all. There's never been a suggestion that they have; in fact, it's a smear, but it's also not part of the Prime Minister's responsibilities and, therefore, he can't be asked about it. And the Manager of Opposition Business didn't even name the person that the question was directed to.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You clearly knew what he meant.

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

I heard that interjection from the Leader of the Opposition, but that does not insert itself into the standing orders just by mere declaration, unfortunately for him. The Leader of the House is quite right. There are a number of problems with the question. I'll hear from the Manager of Opposition Business. The first problem with the question is that it wasn't a question to anybody. It did attribute, part way through, a statement to the Prime Minister. That leaves the Speaker in a very difficult position as to who the question is to, but I stress, before the Manager of Opposition Business speaks, that that moment's passed.

Also, as I've said before, the question asked about the comments of a private member. The Practice is very clear on this. The Prime Minister's not responsible for the statements of private members and he's not responsible for decisions of parties, so I'm struggling. I'm a reasonable person—I can't find a single word that's relevant yet, but I'll let you have a go. Or do you want to give it up? It might be quicker! I call the member for Fairfax.