Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. Has the minister apologised to the secretary of her department following her verbal altercation?

Clare O'Neil (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It looks like I'm going to get a bit of time on my feet today, which I'm very excited about. On indulgence, I acknowledge that we have Greek leaders from around Australia here with us, and I welcome them to our parliament. It is a privilege to have you here. When the Greeks invented democracy, I'm not sure if this is exactly what they had in mind but we're doing our absolute best.

As I said in response to the previous question, I work very closely with the secretary of my department. Let me talk about some of the work that we're doing so constructively together. As I have spoken to the parliament about before, we have a Department of Home Affairs with some significant issues.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will pause; I want to hear from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance, Mr Speaker: it was a very direct question. Has the minister apologised to the secretary of her department?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister was asked a specific question. She is not entitled to then start talking about broad portfolio issues. She will need to keep her answer efficient to the question.

Clare O'Neil (Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Absolutely. I would say again to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition that my secretary and I work very closely together. It's why I was very supportive of the decision of the Prime Minister and PM&C to appoint Secretary Foster to this role. We have an incredibly important cleanup job to do in the department work that we're doing. Don't take it from me—take it from the litany of eminent Australians who have written reports about significant systemic issues in my department.

Opposition members interjecting—

Perhaps you should have waited before taking your point of order so quickly. We have a significant job to do but I am committed to doing it because I'm here to serve the national interest and not a political interests of the Liberal Party.