Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, of the more than 2,900 people issued visas from the terrorist-controlled Gaza war zone, primarily let in by the former immigration minister, the member for Scullin, have all of them been subjected to a biometric test and an in-person interview?

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

On biometric testing, that is something that the director-general of ASIO addressed as well on his Insiders interview on Sunday. What we have done is make sure that we work with our security agencies to keep Australians safe. That's what we do. In terms of the result of that, on—

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

Order, Member for Casey!

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

This morning, one of those people was Dr Mona Kaskeen. I listened to her on RN this morning. She's a Palestinian neurosurgeon who fled Gaza and who's now in Sydney. This is what she said about how she got to come here: 'The people who came from Gaza—they are seeking good life for them and their children. They are very highly qualified people because many of them are doctors and engineers. They are people seeking a good life. We came here just to live in peace and to protect our family. I like Australia. I like living here. It's quiet and safe. My children feel safe here. The people from Gaza—they want to live safe and protect their family. They want to live in peace'—just like so many of the people who came under the former government from—

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

The Prime Minister was directly answering the question with a case example about one of the people that he was asked about. I'm not sure how you could possibly ask a question of relevance on this, Member for Wannon. That's the key—not to say that you're rising on a point of relevance. I'll give you that tip. Member for Wannon.

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

It is on relevance, Speaker. The question was, 'Have all of them?'—not 'one'.

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

The Leader of the House.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question in its first part referred to the entire case load, which makes the reference to a part of that case load completely in order.

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

The Prime Minister wasn't talking about a visa from somewhere else or another person, but, if you've asked a question specifically about the number of visas issued, of course it's going to be directly relevant for him to talk about a case. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

I'm talking about a real human being who's now here. That's what this is about: real human beings, with real children, real families, real trauma and real tragedy. The impact that that has had, whether it be in the innocent lives that have been lost in Israel or the innocent lives that have been lost in Gaza—that has had a traumatic effect on everyone who is related to them here and on the communities, whether that be the Israeli community or the Palestinian community. That is one of the reasons why we have been asked by those people who run our national security to lower the temperature and to think about what we do as political leaders.

The former Deputy Prime Minister knows that I have the utmost respect for him. I was with him in his community, including with migrants, just a couple of weeks ago in Cowra. He spoke to me about migration, including about people formerly from Afghanistan who've settled in central western New South Wales and who are good citizens. This is what Dr Kaskeen said today, 'Whoever crosses the border— (Time expired)

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! I do not need assistance with time, because it will apply to both sides when people are over in their questions. I don't think anyone wants that either. 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

I move that so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the Opposition from moving that so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the Opposition from moving the following motion forthwith.

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

No. The Leader of the Opposition, it goes side to side, so—

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

The Prime Minister had concluded his answer, Mr Speaker. Nobody had sought the call.

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

On a point of order, it doesn't work like that. We are not going to go down this path. If you wish to raise a point of order, you can do so, but a suspension goes side to side.

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

Mr Speaker, with respect, I wasn't seeking to make a point of order. You said that. I didn't. I didn't seek the call for a point of order. I stood seeking the call. The honourable member opposite—no reflection on him—had not stood to seek the call, and, Mr Speaker, you recognised me as such. And I seek the call to suspend standing orders on that basis. Mr Speaker, I move that so much of standing and sessional orders be suspended—

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

Just pause a moment. We're going to deal with this.

Opposition members interjecting—

Order, members on my left! I'll get the Leader of the Opposition to resume. We'll deal with this in an orderly way. The Leader of the House.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm speaking to the point of order. When you called the Leader of the Opposition, you specifically said, 'On a point of order'. It was quite clear to the Leader of the Opposition when he was getting the call that it was on a point of order. It has always been the case with the alternating call that, if you want to move a suspension, you wait until the opposition side, or the non-government benches, gets the call. It's been that way for a long time. In opposition, of course, opposition members want to do it straight away, but that has always been the procedure. It is also the case, as we shouldn't have let go of, that, if someone's rising on a point of order, they get the call for that, but, if it's a suspension, it's treated the same way as the concept of questions alternating side to side.

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

On a point of order, and again with respect to the Leader of the House, that is not practice in relation to the way in which the standing orders have been enforced and operate in this chamber. The call given by the Speaker to somebody seeking the call, whether for a suspension of standing orders or for a point otherwise, has been the longstanding practice of speakers, current and past, and I think you should adhere to that, Mr Speaker.

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

Yes. The difficulty I'm in—on the similar point of order, the member for Warringah.

Zali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To assist the House, the member for Macnamara was on his feet seeking the call in accordance with, should I say—

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! Members on my left, do not interject on the member for Warringah. The member for Warringah, on a point of order.

Zali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would note that it is the practice of the Speaker, in respect of the position of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, to always give them the call preferential to anyone else in the chamber because they are at the table. If the Leader of the Opposition is going to abandon the practice of respecting that he has given the call on an assumption of a point of order, then I would respectfully submit that there can no longer be a precedence of those at the table over other members of the House in seeking the call, because, if not, it is a preferential treatment. The application of the standing orders should be equal to all in this place. There shouldn't be exceptions for the Leader of the Opposition.

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

I want to deal with this. I like to treat everyone fairly and give everyone a fair go. Just as when it was the government's turn for a question, the leader wanted to raise the point about a statement. If I were to simply worry about who was moving suspensions, I'd never acknowledge when it was the government's time, so I have to have that flexibility of allowing that. The member for Warringah is correct. Out of respect for the leader and the deputy leader, they do get the call because of the high office that they hold. It is not right or fair for the person on this side who then wishes to have the question. We're just going to move forward now, and I give the call to the honourable member for Macnamara.