Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Sydney from moving the following motion immediately—That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) the Member for Bowman has failed to stand down as Chair of the Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training, despite pledging he would;

(b) for more than two months the Prime Minister has failed to do anything about that;

(c) the Prime Minister's failure to act on this matter tells you everything about how much this Prime Minister really listens to women; and

(d) the Member for Bowman's continued presence in this chamber and as Chair of the Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training is a blight on the Prime Minister's record; and

(2) therefore, calls on the Prime Minister to discharge the Member for Bowman from the Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training immediately.

This Prime Minister is running a perv protection racket. What does it take to get the sack in this guy's government?

Mark Coulton (Parkes, Deputy-Speaker, Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

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

The question is that the member for Sydney be no further heard.

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

Is the motion seconded?

Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Seconded. Three months ago, the Prime Minister labelled the conduct of the member for Bowman as—

Mark Coulton (Parkes, Deputy-Speaker, Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

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

The question is that the member be no further heard.

Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am a member of this committee, I believe the second-longest running member after the member for Bowman. I'm deeply concerned as a member of this committee. Just this week the committee meeting was cancelled with absolutely no notice and no communication to the other members of the committee as to why. I inquired with the secretariat, to find that the chair cancelled the meeting simply because he was awaiting a new inquiry from the relevant minister.

We are in the middle of an inquiry. I find that this committee is becoming dysfunctional, and I would urge the member for Bowman to consider the needs of the parliament and the needs of the committee over his own personal needs. I would ask him to stand aside as chair, and I would ask the Prime Minister to please consider the position of a number of members of the committee. We must do good work on this committee, and it has not been done for much of this year. Thank you.

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

The question is the motion moved by the member for Sydney be disagreed to.