Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Yesterday the Treasurer told the House that he was concerned that political donations weren't being disclosed. Can the Treasurer confirm his Kooyong 200 Club raised $1.1 million in donations last financial year but named no individual donors in its AEC return? Why didn't he refer to this failure to disclose in his answer yesterday?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order. The Leader of the House on a point of order.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I see you've already gone to the relevant page, but it's clearly not within the Treasurer's responsibility. It's not a question that can be asked of him under the standing orders, and it should be ruled out of order.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business on the point of order.

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

To the point of order—

Opposition members interjecting—

Government members interjecting—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can you just pause one moment?

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

Sure.

Opposition members interjecting—

Government members interjecting—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Two more days to go, but who's counting? The Manager of Opposition Business on the point of order.

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

Thanks, Mr Speaker. It has long been the case that issues which are normally not allowed to be asked of ministers, the door is opened when they give answers on the same topic. It has frequently been the case where we've had ministers, for example—there was a long precedence with the previous Speaker, where there's a normal prohibition on someone not being able to be asked about a previous portfolio. If they give a long answer when they're asked about a statement that they've issued, we've been allowed to continue to penetrate and ask questions about those answers. Had the Treasurer not given the answer he gave yesterday, I agree, this would be completely out of order. But yesterday, the Treasurer opened the door wide to the question of whether or not people are disclosing donations. He decided to lead with his chin, he's opened the door wide and we are simply asking him about that answer yesterday.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business, if you'd like to take me to the relevant part of the Practice that supports that proposition, I'm happy to look at it. Do you want to take me to the relevant part of the Practice?

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

Do I have the call?

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

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

So you're saying that unless I come up with the correct page in a 700-page book right now, you're going to overrule a precedent that we've been using in this House since Federation?

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me just say on this—

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

I'm happy to go and start finding the page, but really!

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business is dangerously close to reflecting on the chair. You're asking me to rule on something—

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

Yes, but you—sorry, do I have the call?

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're asking me to rule on something—

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

Yes.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and I'm asking you what you're relying on.

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

If I have a call, I will respond. I won't respond without the call.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm sorry; I can't hear you.

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

I was saying I won't respond unless you give me the call.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business has the call.

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

Thank you. Mr Speaker, when you were a private member in this place, you sat in this chamber as this precedent was being used. You have sat here, time after time, when a minister has been challenged, and, in particular, this has happened where they've held a previous portfolio. And in each of the questions—

Government members interj ecting—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my right, I need to 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

In each of the questions that have been asked by the opposition, they have always had the same form of the first line, which is referring to the previous answers. If that line's not there, the ruling has always been the question is out of order. But if the question that follows does refer specifically to previous answers, it has been in order. It has been a practice that we've been following.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll allow the question, but I will have a closer look at it overnight. But I will allow the question. The Treasurer has the call.

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We adhere to the relevant rules, but my comments yesterday were about the member for Warringah and the $100,000 donation from people linked to coal companies and the absolute hypocrisy of the Independents. The reality is that a vote for the Independents is a vote for the Labor Party, and that is because the Independents include former members of the Labor Party including in my electorate in the seat of Kooyong. They claim to be a cleanskin, but they're former members of the ALP. And when the Independents come into this place, they vote for the Labor Party, so the fact of the matter is that a vote for the Independents is a vote for Labor.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will resume his seat.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaker—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer has concluded his answer.