Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. I refer to last night's reports of leaks from cabinet indicating that the Prime Minister had instructed cabinet ministers not to leak. Is the Prime Minister's authority so diminished that he has now resorted to telling cabinet ministers to do what they should do anyway?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Honestly and truly, Senator Gallagher, there are really important issues in this country at the moment, and, relevantly to the subject of today's question time, one of the most important issues facing this country at the moment—not the most important but one of the most important issues facing this country—is whether we give equal treatment to gay people under the Marriage Act. And you want to play politics. You and your leader and your party want to play politics, to play insiders games. Really, Senator Gallagher. I know what your private views on this matter are. Why don't you come to terms with the merits of the issue rather than play silly political games?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Gallagher.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer to reports of leaks from the Prime Minister's recent attendance at a meeting of the federal executive of the Liberal Party. Aren't last night's reports just a repeat of Liberal Party chiefs ignoring the Prime Minister's challenge to make sure his frank remarks did not make the newspaper?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I will invite the Attorney-General, if he wishes, to address that question, but it does not really fit within his portfolio remit.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will take the question. Senator Gallagher, there are very, very important issues for this nation. There are things to be celebrated—like the fact, for example, that Australia's economic growth is now 3.3 per cent, the highest rate of economic growth of any G20 nation; the fact that consumer confidence has risen to a three-year high, as reported as recently as this morning by the ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence survey; the fact that there are more Australians in work today than there have ever been. These are the big issues for our country, the issues of—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron, a point of order?

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, this is on relevance: the Attorney-General determined he would take the question, and he has not gone near the question. He determined he would take the question. He should then answer the question.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Cameron. There is no point of order. The question was completely about leaks from the Liberal Party, not about cabinet. I invited the Attorney-General to address that question, if he wished to. The Attorney-General is in complete order. Senator Wong, on the point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am making the point, Mr President—

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is it a point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a point of order. The question goes to statements the Prime Minister has made. We are entitled to ask questions about that.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, but it was primarily directed towards the Liberal Party. I have ruled on that question. The Attorney-General has agreed to take the question, and the Attorney-General can take the question.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, indeed, Mr President. The point I am making to Senator Gallagher is: while she is asking questions about political trivia and the sort of insider gossip which the Labor Party seems to enjoy, this government is getting on with delivering real outcomes for Australians' jobs, growth and prosperity.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Gallagher, a final supplementary question.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the Prime Minister's priorities have been to station staff at doors to prevent MPs from leaving and to tell his cabinet colleagues not to leak, is it any wonder that his own party and the country have been left wondering whether this Prime Minister has any agenda or any authority at all?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Gallagher, you asked me about the government's agenda, so let me tell you about the government's agenda. The government's agenda is to deliver on the election commitments we made when we won the federal election this year—in particular, our commitments for jobs and growth.

Now, you may not have been able to hear me over all of the interjection from your own side, Senator Gallagher, so let me remind you. The latest economic growth figures for Australia, at 3.3 per cent, are now the highest of any G20 nation. Under this government, Australia is, economically, the best performing nation in the G20. And that is apparent from the consumer confidence figures released this morning, to which I referred, which show consumer confidence at a three-year high—and going up. Those are the real issues, Senator Gallagher, not the silly insiders' games in which you and the Labor Party delight—jobs, growth, outcomes for the Australian people. (Time expired)