Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister guarantee that during his prime ministership he will not change the current negative gearing and capital gains tax treatment of rental properties?

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

Order! The minister for the environment will cease interjecting.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. He hasn't asked a question about anything that we actually are doing in the housing area and, what's more, he hasn't even asked a question about anything that he's doing. Be it their nuclear reactor policy—

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

The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance, and I seek your ruling as to whether the Prime Minister is in order because the question was specific. It was tight. It didn't ask about alternatives. All day we've had questions that have been provided that haven't been answered. He hasn't given a straight answer all day, and I seek your ruling in relation to whether he is relevant to the question that was asked of him.

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

I just want to refer—

An honourable member interjecting—

The leader's raised his point of order. On 17 June 2020, Speaker Smith made a ruling that a minister or prime minister was entitled to a preamble. As robust as that was, it was a shorter question than he's had before. He's had 30 seconds as a preamble. I'm now going to invite him to address the very specific nature of the question given that he's had his preamble.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They really don't want to talk about the policies that they have, which isn't surprising given it's not so much a supermarket policy as a super-Marxist policy.

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

The Prime Minister will return to the question.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm asked about ruling things out, and I'll tell you what I'll rule out. I rule out choosing copper over fibre for the NBN. I rule out governing by colour-coded spreadsheets. I rule out paying $30 million for a block of land that's worth three. I rule out having 22 energy policies and not implementing any.

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

The Leader of the Opposition has made a point of order on relevance, so it will have to be a different point of order.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister is defying your ruling. You issued a very specific instruction, and the Prime Minister has completely and utterly disregarded your direction. I ask that you direct him back to the question and provide an answer that is coherent.

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

The Prime Minister was asked about ruling things in and out regarding a topic, so he can't just go around the world naming topics that he hasn't been asked about. If he's asked a question about ruling things in and out, of course he can address that part of the question as he is able to, but he will need to refine his remarks to the topic of the question.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rule out telling manufacturers to go offshore. We have an alternative plan. One of the things that we do is we state what our policies are. And our policy—

There he goes! Macho man here thinks it's all about the testosterone and wonders why he has a problem with 51 per cent of the population. We have put forward a coherent $32 billion Homes for Australia Plan. We have put forward everything—

Honourable members interjecting—

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

The Prime Minister is talking about capital gains tax, negative gearing and housing.

Order! The Minister for Climate Change and Energy. The Leader of the Opposition.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With respect, the Prime Minister is demonstrating none to you at the moment. You have given him a direction. He was asked a specific question, not 'whether he would rule in or out'. The question was, 'Does the Prime Minister guarantee that during his prime ministership he will not change the current negative gearing and capital gains tax treatment of rental properties?' That was the question put. The preprepared list that he's got for ruling things out is not relevant to this question—

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

Resume your seat. The Leader of the Opposition can't—

Order! The Leader of the Opposition has asked his question. He is entitled to ask, but he can't require a specific answer. The Prime Minister has moved off the ruling in and out. He is now talking about the policy topic. I was listening carefully to make sure he was being relevant regarding the issues raised in the question, so he is just going to continue down that line. If he veers off, I can reassure the Leader of the Opposition I will make sure that we follow the standing orders. The Prime Minister has the call.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He's gone from nuclear to meltdown, which he does consistently. I'm asked about negative gearing, and, indeed, the member for Menzies had something to say about negative gearing as well. When asked, he said this: 'I'm not going to do the rule in, rule out of particular policies here.' That's what he had to say, and then he—

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

The member for Wannon will resume his seat. Order!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was asked about negative gearing.

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

The Prime Minister has been asked a question about negative gearing, and he's talking directly about a quote about negative gearing. Of course that is relevant. I'll hear from the Leader of the Opposition.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I want to seek clarity, please, so I have a question of you. Have you issued a direction? Have you given clarity? Is your ruling that the Prime Minister is in order?

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

I'm dealing with the issue that was raised. The Prime Minister was asked the question—

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I asked whether you were providing a ruling.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Want to punch someone, do you?

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

You're entitled to take a point of order. The member for Wannon, on a point of order.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd ask the minister for environment to withdraw that comment, please.

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

I didn't hear the minister for the environment, but if she could assist the House—

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Of course. To assist you, Mr Speaker, I withdraw.

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

Prime Minister, if you can, make your answer directly relevant.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are doing everything in our housing policy that we said we would—our Homes for Australia plan, $32 billion. That is all we are considering doing. I ask that they vote for it.