Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Regional Development, and I refer to his earlier answer. When was the last time the minister for regional development had contact with Wagga based businessman and disgraced former Liberal MP Daryl Maguire?

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

The Leader of the House, on a point of order?

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can't see how that's related to the Deputy Prime Minister's portfolio, and I'm failing to see how it's related to the last question.

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

Let me hear from the Manager of Opposition Business.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To the point of order, the question began by referring to earlier answers.

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

Yes, that's right.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier answers have referred specifically to conversations with Daryl Maguire and the Deputy Prime Minister. And this asks when the last of those happened. In terms of being able to interrogate answers that are given, this is specifically on that point.

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

Look, I'm going to uphold the Leader of the House's point on this. We've been over this ground before. It is certainly the case that you can ask about previous answers. That's certainly the case. I think I made this point to my friend the member for Isaacs, who's in his electorate office in Melbourne, when he was here a couple of years ago. You simply can't use that as a cover to ask a different question. I think there's no way that is in order, unless it was something in the previous answer that you were seeking. Each of the previous questions were quite specific about roads or other projects, so to then just ask when someone's met with someone is not within the minister's—

Mr Burke interjecting—

No, it's not. There's been lots of questions ruled out of order, and I can rule on it for as long as you want me to, but I'm very sure that's out of order.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

I think that interjection from the Leader of the Opposition about the next press conference actually reinforces the point I make.

An honourable member interjecting—

They don't have standing orders; we do.