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

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the standards required of ministers under the ministerial standards. Is the Prime Minister aware that the member for Leichhardt has today called for the bullies within his government to be named and held accountable for their actions? What process has the Prime Minister commenced to assure himself that none of his ministers or assistant ministers are guilty of bullying or intimidation of their Liberal colleagues, in breach of ministerial standards?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I had a chat with the member for Leichhardt today and I know he is fully satisfied with the way that the party is managing all issues that are germane to the internal running of the Liberal Party and the support of all colleagues. We have a very clear process for the handling of the welfare of our members. It's handled by our whips, as I'm sure it's handled in this chamber by the opposition party whips. They have a pastoral care role when it comes to issues of management with colleagues. Our chief whip, the member for Forrest, has served as a whip in this parliament for the last 11 years, and I particularly want to welcome the appointment of the new deputy whip in the Senate, Senator Hume, who will also be part of that task.

What I won't do is take lectures from the Leader of the Opposition on bullying. I'm not going to take lectures from a leader of the opposition who could not have a warmer embrace with John Setka, the head of the Victorian CFMMEU. If they were any closer, they'd be Siamese twins joined at the head, joined at the hip and joined at the heart!

The Labor Party, when it comes to bullying and intimidation—I remember Peter Baldwin. I remember seeing Peter Baldwin.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll tell you why I am talking about Peter Baldwin. It's because my introduction as a young person to the Labor Party was seeing his bashed face on the television. So I won't be taking lectures from the Labor Party on—

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

On a point of order—

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

The Prime Minister has indicated that he has concluded his answer.

Ms Claydon interjecting—

The member for Newcastle will leave under 94(a).

The member for Newcastle then left the chamber.