Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I join other senators in congratulating you on your new role. My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Brandis. I refer to media reports that state that 'informal discussions' have been held about whether to replace Mr Turnbull. Is the minister aware of, or participating in, these discussions?

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

I have seen no such reports, and the answer to your question is no. Senator Singh, really—if you wonder why you're on that side of the chamber and we're on this side of the chamber, it's because all you're interested in is political intrigue. You have no interest whatsoever in policy. Meanwhile, Senator Singh, the government has, since its election, presided over the creation of 825,000 new jobs in this country. Since the beginning of this year, we have seen the greatest rate of jobs growth in Australia in more than 23 years, and 85 per cent of those new jobs created since the beginning of this year have been full-time jobs.

Meanwhile, as Senator Birmingham has just been explaining, and as I tried to explain to your colleagues in previous question times, the energy policy announced by the Prime Minister and Mr Frydenberg is a game changer for Australian energy policy that will stop the rise in energy prices and result in a reduction in energy prices. Meanwhile, I might say, if I can expand on Senator Birmingham's remarks, the LNP in Queensland has announced its own energy policy, which will see the reduction in electricity prices to Queensland households of up to $460 per year.

Now, Senator Singh, those are the sorts of positive outcomes for the Australian people you can get if you actually devote some of your energy to working on policy, as Tim Nicholls and his team in the LNP in Queensland have done. But if all you're interested in is political gossip and political intrigue, as you are, over there is where you will stay.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Singh, a supplementary question.

Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I doubt that very much! Which of the two leadership contenders, Acting Prime Minister Bishop or Minister Dutton, is the minister planning to vote for before his much-lauded departure for London at the end of this year?

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

Honestly and truly, Senator Singh! Here we are: the House of Representatives isn't sitting this week, so the only parliamentary chamber, the only question time for the Australian Labor Party to prosecute its policies—to ask penetrating questions of the government about policies—is here in the Senate. We're only 15 minutes from the end of question time and you have run out of serious things to say. You haven't asked a question about the economy. You haven't asked a question about national security. You haven't asked a question about jobs. You haven't asked a question about energy or economic security. You haven't asked a question about international relations. You haven't asked a question about defence. You haven't asked a question about the cost of living. You haven't asked a single question on any serious policy issue for the whole of this question time. You are a joke!

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Singh, a final supplementary question.

Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last night, on Four Corners, when asked about a further leadership challenge, the former Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Abetz, said, 'Never say never.' Is Senator Abetz right?

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

I haven't seen Senator Abetz's remark, but I did see a television interview with Senator Abetz on Sky in the last day or so in which he very strongly supported the current Prime Minister—did you not, Senator Abetz?

So, Senator Singh, there we are. In this question time you started off by asking an asinine question of Senator Fifield which was entirely based on a false premise. Then you went on to ask a question of me, again based on a false premise. Then you tried to pursue Senator Cash with two questions: first of all from Senator Cameron, the old class warrior over there, in which you were slammed, and then from the ambulance chaser sitting on your right, Senator Murray Watt, again to Senator Cash, and you were slammed again. You haven't asked a single serious question in this question time and the Australian people have worked you out.