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. I refer to his previous answers where he said he will contact New South Wales police about Strike Force Garrad into the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction and the doctored document about Clover Moore. Will the Prime Minister commit to fully cooperate with any request for information from the New South Wales police about this scandal?

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

Like with all matters that are pursued by any law enforcement authorities, the Commonwealth always cooperates fully with all of those matters, which you would expect us to do—and of course we would! Just because the opposition has referred matters to the New South Wales police and just because the opposition have referred so many matters, on so many members—and they have all ended up going absolutely nowhere at the end of the day—forgive me for not leaping to the conclusions that the Leader of the Opposition has on this day; breathlessly coming to the dispatch box and making the allegations that he is making against the member and minister.

I understand why the Leader of the Opposition wants to distract attention today. It's not just because there are 65 representatives of the CFMMEU before the courts across 28 separate matters brought by the ABCC—

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

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

It goes to relevance. I don't have the capacity to demand that the New South Wales police launch a strike force into one of his ministers. That is what the Prime Minister is suggesting.

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

I just want to say to the Prime Minister before he resumes—and I was about to say this to the Prime Minister—he's entitled to compare and contrast briefly, which he's been doing, but not extensively. He's got to stick to the aspects of the question that he was asked. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

To go to the question again: of course we will cooperate with any and all matters. I would just hope that the Leader of the Opposition, once we've had the opportunity to review these matters fully, if it is indeed the case that he has jumped the shark here—

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The Leader of the Opposition!

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

You're getting a bit excited, Mr Speaker.

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

No, I've asked the member for Isaacs to cease interjecting a couple of times. I've already warned him. Don't say a thing for the next hour, okay?

Government members interjecting—

Members on my right! If people want to start taking bets they can, but that's what I've asked. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

Once we have worked through this matter, I would just simply hope that the Leader of the Opposition will do the decent thing, if indeed this is just one of the many occasions upon which the opposition have made these references and they have ended up nowhere, that just once, maybe, they might want to walk back from the breathless accusations that they've made.