Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is again addressed to the Prime Minister, and I refer to his previous answers, where he said that he will contact the New South Wales Police about Strike Force Garrad, regarding the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction. Will he assure the police and this House that the minister for emissions reduction will do what he hasn't done for this parliament and state exactly what the origins of this doctored document about the City of Sydney mayor were?

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

The only reference I could make to the Leader of the Opposition's investigative capacity would be as Inspector Clouseau.

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

Answer the question.

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

The member for Isaacs has been warned.

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

I'm going to leave the matters of pursuing these issues to the New South Wales Police. I will speak directly to the New South Wales Police, I will consider the information they provide me about this matter and I will exercise my responsibilities under the standards once I have had the opportunity to have those discussions. What I won't do is engage in the breathlessness of the Leader of the Opposition. I won't engage in that. I calmly consider my responsibilities. I soberly consider serious matters. I don't rush to the judgement of the Leader of the Opposition. And I know why this is happening today, because in the other place we are dealing with the ensuring integrity bill. That's the bill they're dealing with over there, and the militant unionism that this mob over here want to engage in a protection racket.

I was wondering what the collective noun was for a group of militant unionists. I think it's called a thuggery of unionists. It's that thuggery that this Leader of the Opposition wants to protect by not supporting the government's bill to ensure that union thugs—

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

I'd just say to the Prime Minister—

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

are held to account.

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

This is a smokescreen, and he's running a protection racket for union thugs.

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

The Leader of the Opposition?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would ask that the Prime Minister's last statement, where he made a very specific allegation against me, be withdrawn.

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

I might have heard it slightly differently. If I didn't hear it correctly, I apologise. I don't want to put the Leader of the Opposition in a position where he has to repeat the remark. What I heard was something that's outlined in Practice pretty clearly, which was something fairly general.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, it was pointed at me.

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

I can only go on what's said. I can't get into hand gestures and all the rest. The Leader of the Opposition?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd invite you to ask the Prime Minister to do the right thing and show integrity and withdraw it.

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

All I can do in this circumstance is say to a minister or a Prime Minister if they made an unparliamentary remark to withdraw it. As I said, if I'd heard that I would have acted straightaway. I thought it was a general observation that's covered in Practice.