Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. On Friday, Prime Minister Turnbull recommitted to his government's $50 billion company tax cuts after Treasurer Morrison had spent the week trying to back away from that plan. Can Australians take the events of last week as proof that reports that Treasurer Morrison was being sidelined ahead of the May budget were in fact correct?

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

Any such reports were wrong. The government's position is as stated by the Prime Minister.

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

Senator Collins, a supplementary question.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, I refer to one of the Treasurer's Liberal frontbench colleagues who says, 'He'll need to perform or he's out.' Is the Prime Minister's intervention an indication that he too thinks the Treasurer is underperforming?

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

I am not going to dignify an unattributed and anonymous remark, asserting to be true by you, with a response.

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

Senator Collins, a final supplementary question.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President; he will need to take that up with News Limited! One Liberal frontbencher has said in relation to Treasurer Morrison, 'He could hang on but it's his to lose.' Will the Prime Minister rule out swearing-in a new Treasurer following the May budget, or does the Prime Minister agree that it is 'his to lose'?

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

There will not be any more response to such an asinine question than to say that what you say is entirely idiotic.