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 his previous answer. Can the Prime Minister inform the House whether the executive will implement a resolution of the parliament, such as the one which has already been carried in the Senate and will be voted on in the House?

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

Again, Mr Speaker, if the government intends to initiate a royal commission into any matter, as we have indeed done in relation to the aged-care sector, which includes the in-home care and disability services support provided in residential aged care to young Australians, then we will initiate that process, and we will take—

Honourable Member:

An honourable member interjecting—

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

The question is, 'When?' We've already announced the royal commission into aged care. It's already happened. I was talking about the royal commission into aged care. That's what I was referring to. We've actually done it. We initiated that. I took that decision when I became Prime Minister and I initiated it. I don't recall the previous government doing that. In all their calls for royal commissions, I never heard them call for a royal commission into aged care. I didn't hear them do that. We chose to do that.

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

The Prime Minister—

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

I was just responding to his interjection, Mr Speaker. If they don't want to interject, fair enough.

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

The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

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

On direct relevance: my question was about a disability royal commission.

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

The Prime Minister is in order. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

I was making the point that, where the government seeks to put in place a royal commission, we will do that. We will draft the terms of reference, we will consult on it and we will issue it. It is a matter for the executive government to determine whether royal commissions are initiated. Those decisions are not made by the parliament. The parliament can pass resolutions. The parliament can pass many resolutions. But, under our Constitution and the way the government works, the government is the one that initiates royal commissions. We've been more than ready to call royal commissions in the past. We would be in the future.

An honourable member interjecting—

And our focus at the moment is ensuring that we are establishing the national disability insurance commission. But I take the interjection from the member: 'You'd better hurry.' How arrogant has the Labor Party become about the next election? So sure are they of winning the next election, that they call out in this way, saying, 'Well, you'd better do it, because you'll be all done.' So arrogant have they become—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

No, you said it, Albo.

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

I remind the Prime Minister to refer to members by their correct titles. The member for Grayndler on a point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order, Mr Speaker. The Prime Minister knows full well that I was referring to the fact that the resolution from the Senate will be back here soon, and—

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

The member for Grayndler can resume his seat. The Prime Minister can resume his seat, too. I'm just going to make an obvious point: if people are worried about their interjections being misinterpreted, that is quite ironical.

Honourable members interjecting—

Fair point? Good. I'm quoting you.

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

As I was saying, so arrogant have the Labor Party become that they think they can do whatever they like—and we're seeing it, already, in opposition—trashing our border protection laws, even before they have an opportunity to face an election. The Australian people have seen this mob. They've seen them for what they are. And, yes, there will be an election; there will be a decision; and I don't believe they will elect an arrogant Labor Party.