Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister: I refer to his answer to the first question and to the Deputy Prime Minister's explanation today. Whose ambition and which Newspolls are the reason Malcolm Turnbull is no longer Prime Minister? And is this why the Prime Minister has described his own government as a muppet show?

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

Once again, it's question 2, no questions on drought, no questions on schools, no questions on hospitals, no questions on mental health. It is an important day today—R U OK? Day—about which I acknowledge those opposite and members here acknowledge today. Our government has some $4.3 billion being spent to guarantee the mental health services in this country. R U OK? Day was begun by a good friend of mine, Gav Larkin, many years ago. We went to school together. The reason I am highlighting this is because these are the issues that, frankly, the Australian people are interested in: that we're supporting mental health, that we're supporting Lifeline, where we put an extra $33 million on mental health.

Mr Burke interjecting—

You want to sit me down on mental health, do you? That tells the Australian people—

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

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

On direct relevance. I know the Prime Minister doesn't like the question—

Government members interjecting—

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

Members on my right will cease interjecting.

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

but he does have an obligation to be relevant to it.

Government members interjecting—

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

Even though you're two metres away, I can't hear you. If members on my right could cease interjecting, the Manager of Opposition Business could begin his point of order again.

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

On direct relevance. The Prime Minister is giving reasons why he doesn't like the question; that doesn't take away his responsibility to be relevant to it.

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

Before I rule on the question: the Prime Minister is entitled to give context in the answer and, whilst in the material he's giving he's done that, with respect to the question, with the breadth of issues in it, really, the capacity to answer that is pretty broad, I've got to say, and the Prime Minister is entitled to compare and contrast for a bit—but not for the entire answer. I think he's just about finished his compare and contrast.

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

Mr Speaker, I am being directly relevant to the needs and interests of the Australian people. That's what my government—our government—is focused on. I will tell you what I am ambitious for: I am ambitious for the Australian people. I am ambitious for the jobs of young people, of people over the age of 55. One-third of those jobs went to those workers over the last 12 months. I am ambitious for the health needs of Australians.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The member for Isaacs is warned.

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

I'm ambitious for the education needs of Australia. I'm ambitious for the opportunity that Australian small business owners want under our government, are getting under our government and which will be crushed by the opportunity-destroying policies of the Labor Party that will put up their electricity prices, that will put up their private health insurance fees for households, that will whack a big tax on retirees simply for the fact that they saved over the course of their life and they want to invest in Australian companies. I'm ambitious for the Australian people. I believe in the opportunity for Australian people. That's what our government is focused on. The Leader of the Labor Party and the Labor Party have ambitions only for themselves and are seeking only their opportunities.