QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Australian Water Holdings

Mr SHORTEN (MaribyrnongLeader of the Opposition) (14:02): My question is to the Prime Minister. When did the Prime Minister become aware of the issues that have caused Senator Sinodinos to stand aside today? Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (14:02): I have nothing to add to my statement a few moments ago.

Deregulation
Ms HENDERSON (Corangamite) (14:02): My question is to the Prime Minister. I remind the Prime Minister that businesses like Kerr's Hire in Geelong are currently burdened with registering short-term hire leases, a process that is costly and unnecessary. How will the government's $720 million red tape repeal day help Kerr's Hire and all small businesses across the nation? Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (14:03): I thank the member for Corangamite for her question and I understand her interest. I also understand Kerr's Hire's concerns because, under the rules as they stand, many short-term leases have to be registeredthis means more form filling, more time wasting and more unnecessary expense. Red tape repeal day will fix this, as it will tackle many other instances of redundant and unnecessary regulation. No-one likes filling in formsit costs time, it costs money and it costs jobs. That is why red tape repeal day is so important. I can advise the House that red tape repeal day will involve the attempt to scrap about 1,000 redundant acts of parliament, it will seek to remove almost 10,000 unnecessary or counterproductive regulationsit will seek to take 50,000 pages off the statute bookand it will deliver $720 million in red tape cost reductions this year and every year. This is good news for the businesses, the consumers and the workers of our country. It is at the heart of this government's agenda to build a strong and prosperous economy for a safe and secure Australia. And don't we need to get red tape down! Under the former government Australia's world competitiveness ranking slipped six places in just four years to 21. Under the former government, our burden of government regulation ranking sunk to No. 128 in the worldwe are behind Romania but don't worry, we are still better than Angola. Under the former government, our productivity growth ranking slipped to second-last in the worldthe only country we beat when it came to productivity growth was Botswana.

This government will tackle the red tape which is suffocating Australian businesses by lighting the biggest bonfire of regulation in our history.

Australian Water Holdings

Mr SHORTEN (MaribyrnongLeader of the Opposition) (14:06): My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister consider that the former Assistant Treasurer, Senator Sinodinos, has provided a full and accurate account of his dealings as director of Australian Water Holdings? Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (14:06): As Senator Sinodinos has indicated in another place, he will fully answer the questions in the appropriate commission.

Infrastructure
Mr WYATT (Hasluck) (14:06): My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. How is the government building the infrastructure Western Australia needs to ensure the state's productivity and economic growth into the future, especially in my electorate of Hasluck? What hurdles are standing in the way of that goal? Turn046 Mr TRUSS (Wide BayDeputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) (14:07): I thank the honourable member for his question, because he knows that the only way that Western Australians will get the infrastructure that they need and deserve is from a coalition government. If Western Australia is to get world-class infrastructure it will be a coalition government that will provide it. Yesterday, the member for Grayndler claimed that the Gateway project in Western Australia was a 'fully funded $1 billion project under the previous Labor government', but the money was going to come from the mining tax, and the mining tax has not raised any moneyso it was not a fully funded project. When he was speaking on 20 November about the repeal of the mining tax he also listed another lot of Western Australian projects, all of which he said were funded by the mining tax, such as the Great Northern Highway stage 2, $152 million to the North West Coastal Highway and the Swan Valley bypass. The reality is that the mining tax has not raised any money. Now, if the member for Grayndler does not think that is a problem, perhaps he should talk to the member for Lilley, the former Treasurer, because the member for Lilley said on Perth radio on 25 March 2011, 'Revenue from the mining resource rent tax goes to investment in infrastructure projects, like the Gateway project in Western Australia around the airport.' Then he went on to say, 'If we don't have the

revenue from the tax, we can't make the investments.' So the then Treasurer belled the cat. He made it absolutely clear that if you do not raise any money from the mining tax you do not get the projects. So Western Australians need to be aware of the fact that no money from the mining tax meant no Gateway project for Perth, no North West Highway projects. The money was not there. It was not fully funded. The mining tax has failed to deliver the revenue that would enable these projects to be built. Mr Albanese: Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order, which goes to relevance. The Gateway WA project is under construction right now. The SPEAKER: That is argument. That is not a point of order. Mr Albanese: It is not an apparition. He is misleading parliament. It is under construction. There are trucks and roads. The SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The member will resume his seat. Mr TRUSS: Yes, but all the former minister did was a sod-turning ceremony. He turns more soil with his shovel than they ever did with bulldozers. The reality is that it is this government that will deliver the Gateway project. It is this government that will deliver the road The SPEAKER: Does the member have a point of order? Mr Albanese: Yes, Madam Speaker. The SPEAKER: It had better be a proper one and not argument. Mr Albanese: I am not arguing, Madam Speaker. It has been confirmed by the Deputy Prime Minister's own statement that it is under construction. The SPEAKER: Order! You are not making a point of order, as you well know.

DISTINGUISHED VISITORS
The SPEAKER (14:10): I advise the chamber that we have with us today the former federal member for Cunningham and former occupier of this chair, a distinguished Speaker of the House. We make him most welcome. We also have with us some other guests who I would like to acknowledge. We have with us a delegation from ASEAN led by His Excellency the Secretary-General of ASEAN. We make him most welcome. I also acknowledge a senator from Pakistan, Senator Osman Khan, and we make the senator most welcome. Honourable members: Hear, hear!

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Australian Water Holdings

Mr SHORTEN (MaribyrnongLeader of the Opposition) (14:11): My question is to the Prime Minister. I acknowledge the Prime Minister's answer to my previous question, that the former Assistant Treasurer will cooperate with ICAC, but does the Prime Minister consider that the former Assistant Treasurer Senator Sinodinos has provided a full and accurate account of his dealings as director of Australian Water Holdings to the Prime Minister? Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (14:11): Senator Sinodinos has always dealt honourably with me, as you would expect from him.

Industrial Hemp
Mr WILKIE (Denison) (14:12): My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, industrial hemp cannot be smoked and would be a lucrative crop for many Tasmanian farmers. It produces fabric, paper, construction material and omega-3-rich oil. Prime Minister, when will the government ease restrictions on its cultivation and use, as recommended since 2002 by Food Standards Australia New Zealand? Wellington acted on that advice 12 years ago. When will Canberra stop talking about it and work with the states to make it happen? Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (14:12): I do thank the member for Denison for his question and I do appreciate his concern to try to ensure that the agricultural industries of Tasmania are given every possible opportunity to succeed. I entirely share that desire to give the agricultural industries of Tasmania and of our nation every possible opportunity to succeed. That is one of the reasons why we have negotiated a free trade agreement with Korea, to help the great agricultural industries of our country. That is why we are on the high road to an economic partnership agreement with Japan and it is why we are negotiating with China: to try to ensure that farmers right around our great country get a fair go. I absolutely accept that industrial hemp, fibre hemp, does have many uses. I absolutely accept that. My understanding is that Food Standards Australia New Zealand is currently looking at this matter again. It will report, as I understand it, by 30 June, and the government will respond at that time.

Deregulation
Mr ALEXANDER (Bennelong) (14:14): My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline the importance of freeing business and reducing regulation, and how will red tape repeal day help the constituents of Bennelong?

Turn047 Mr HOCKEY (North SydneyThe Treasurer) (12:52): I thank the member for Bennelong for his question and recognise his previous experience as a senior business person and as a leading global athlete. An honourable member interjecting Mr HOCKEY: He was; he was fantastic. He, like many others, recognises how important it is to free the shackles from business and enterprise, remove regulation, reduce the burden of red and green tape and get rid of taxes. As the Prime Minister said a little bit earlierit is graphic but it is realtoday, we have a bonfire of regulation. Fifty thousand pages from the statute books are being brought to an end Mr Perrett interjecting The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Moreton. Mr HOCKEY: along with 9 thousand regulations and 1,000 redundant acts of parliament. That is a huge amount. It is a massive burden on business, and the best way to help business is to lift that burden. The best way to help the economy is to free it up to give people the chance to get on with their lives without Canberra telling them how they should behave and what they should do. Of course, there is a financial benefit as well. It has already been identified that the FOFA reforms alone will benefit the Australian economy by over $700 million. There is a $90 million one-off implementation save, and $190 million will be saved every year. Those savings alone help to make it easier for business to do its business and simplify the process for consumers. The member for McMahon said that this is all a stunt. Getting rid of regulation, according to the Labor Party, is a stunt; it is meaningless. That is because the Labor Party is the best friend of regulation. The Labor Party is the best friend of control over business. The fact is that the Labor Party not only introduced 22,000 new regulations in just five years but they also left behind a burden of 92 announced but never legislated taxation initiatives, which added to the complexity of the taxation system for business. So I say to the Labor Party: do not do the damage in opposition that you did in government; get out of the way and help us to get rid of bad regulation.

Australian Water Holdings

Mr SHORTEN (MaribyrnongLeader of the Opposition) (14:17): My question is to the Prime Minister. When did the Prime Minister first discuss with Senator Sinodinos his involvement with Australian Water Holdings, and did the Prime Minister conduct those discussions before appointing former Assistant Treasurer Sinodinos to the ministry? Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (14:17): The important thing is that Senator Sinodinos has done the right and decent thing. He has stepped aside for the duration of this matter, and that is why am looking forward to his restoration to the ministry.

Agriculture
Mr PITT (Hinkler) (14:18): My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, and I remind the minister that Hinkler cane farmers have told me that, due to high energy prices, they are on the brink of collapse. What is the government doing to address the high cost of irrigation in Hinkler and elsewhere? Mr JOYCE (New EnglandMinister for Agriculture and Deputy Leader of The Nationals) (14:18): I thank the member for Hinkler. We were up in the member for Hinkler's area not that long ago and had to deal with cane farmers. One of them is spending $135,000 a quarterover $540,000 a yearon power. One of the major reasons that they are spending that sort of money is because of an issue that is being debated over in the other place at this moment, which is, of course, the carbon tax. It is just like how the member for Blair keeps his people poor. They are trying to keep them poor up in Central Queensland as well. What we are trying to do, obviously, is remove the carbon tax and, by removing the carbon tax, start letting more money go back through the farm gateback to those families, back to those mums and dadsand put dignity back in these farmers' lives. The cane industry is a very important industry. It is one of the major industries in Queensland. Seventy per cent of Australia's sugar canegrowers rely on irrigation to produce a crop, and so much of the time irrigation relies on power. That is the only way you can do it. But what we have seen here Mr Perrett interjecting The SPEAKER: Order! The honourable member for Moreton. Mr JOYCE: Member for Hinkler, those opposite are on a journey, and maybe they are getting there. I will tell you where the journey started. I can remember when Peter Garrett told us that we were going to have six-metre sea rises by 2100. Remember that? I felt like buying a case of beer and going down to

Coogee Beach to wait for the show, but it never happened. I read up on Bjorn Lomborg, who said we have had 30 centimetres in the last 150 years, but they are punting on six metres by the end of the century. It is quite spectacular. But it does not stop there. The member for Isaacs talked about what was 'routinely called the greatest market failure the world has ever seen'. Treasurer, you would probably be interested in this because, when he was talking about the greatest market failure, I thoughtsilly mehe was talking about 26 October 1929 when the Great Depression started. I thought he was talking about the Great Depression. But, no Mr Perrett interjecting The SPEAKER: The member for Moreton will desist or leave; the choice is his. Mr JOYCE: Was he talking about 1637 and tulip mania? No. Was he talking about 1720 and the South Sea Bubble? No. Was he talking about 2000 and the dot-com crash? No. He was talking about carbon pricing. How did we miss it? Not to be outdone, the then Prime Minister got in on the act and talked about the 'greatest moral challenge of our time'. I thought that it might have been Pol Pot on 17 April 1975, but no. I thought it might have been fascism and the Second World War, but no. I thought it might have been Stalin and the communist gulags, but no. Once more it was carbon pricing. How did we miss it? How did we miss these things? But do not worry, we are continuing the fight right now. We are continuing to fight for it. It is over there in the other place, and the moment that you want a wake up to yourselves and reconnect with Australian people, just tell us about it. Opposition members: More! The SPEAKER: Order! There will be silence in the House.

DISTINGUISHED VISITORS
The SPEAKER (14:21): Before I call the honourable Leader of the Opposition, I would like to say that we have with us today the Mayor of the City of Greater Geelong, Councillor Darryn Lyons, the Mayor of the Golden Plains Shire, Councillor Jenny Blake, and the Mayor of the Surf Coast Shire, Councillor Rose Hodge. We make them most welcome. Honourable members: Hear, hear!

Turn048

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Assistant Treasurer

Mr SHORTEN (MaribyrnongLeader of the Opposition) (14:22): My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's desire to uphold ministerial standards. Was the decision for Senator Sinodinos to stand aside made by Senator Sinodinos, the Prime Minister or his office? Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (14:22): As I have already told the parliament, Senator Sinodinos saw me earlier today and advised me of his decision to stand aside. He made the decision and I have to say it is in the best and most honourable Westminster tradition that he should do so.

Deregulation
Mr MATHESON (Macarthur) (14:23): My question is to the Minister for Education. How will universities benefit from the red tape repeal day, which will reduce the burden of regulation and red tape in the higher education system? Mr PYNE (SturtLeader of the House and Minister for Education) (14:23): I am very pleased to get a question from the member for Macarthur about red tape repeal day, because the higher education sector the university sectorare the big winners from red tape repeal day, from deregulation and from the cutting of reporting requirements and red tape that surrounds the university sector. Red tape repeal day next week will have a major impact on the cost base of universities in terms of their interface with government. For example, red tape repeal day, and other decisions that we have already taken in the tertiary education sector in relation to the Australian Research Council or the tertiary education regulator, will see the elimination of unnecessary red tape and reporting requirements that have required universities to tell the government detail about the size, condition, rooms and utilisation of their buildings. We trust universities to know where their buildings are and that they have them and how to utilise them. It will end the duplication of reporting of the same information in different formats for different purposes. Now the government will do that sifting of data themselves rather than requiring universities to report sometimes to six or seven different regulatory agencies exactly the same information but in different formats. There will be a single national database for university reporting, so government departments will coordinate with each other, rather than putting that burden of coordination on the university sector.

We will abolish the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. This is a whole new level of regulation and red tape on the university sector, which the university sector themselves said in their submission to the Commission of Audit. They said:
The Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission (ACNC) has imposed a new, inefficient and unnecessary layer of regulatory and reporting burden on universities.

They went on to say:

Universities are now required to provide detailed annual financial reports to the ACNC, notwithstanding universities are already required to supply such information to at least 6 other Government Departments.

We are going to abolish that level of regulation and red tape. The Australian Research Council has streamlined their guidelines for application, and the tertiary education regulator, TEQSA, has been directed to return to its core business of registering providers and accrediting courses, rather than its thematic, sector-wide investigations into quality, which was never its core business. So it is getting on with its core business and letting universities use their resources to get on with their core business. We are unambiguously students first, unlike the Labor party which has always been for regulation and administration.

Assistant Treasurer
Mr SHORTEN (MaribyrnongLeader of the Opposition) (14:26): My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday, the Prime Minister said that he had full confidence in Assistant Treasurer Sinodinos. Today, Senator Sinodinos is no longer the Assistant Treasurer. Prime Minister, what changed in the last 24 hours? Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (14:26): I suppose I can understand the Leader of the Opposition trying to see something wrong in all of this. Opposition members interjecting The SPEAKER: There will be silence on my left! You asked the question; the answer is being given. Mr ABBOTT: I want to make it crystal clear that what we see here is a member of this parliament doing the right and the honourable thing, which is what you would expect from someone like Senator Sinodinos, who has given our country such long, faithful and decent service.

Deregulation
Mr TAYLOR (Hume) (14:27): My question is to the Minister for Communications. How is the government assisting both consumers and the telecommunications and media sectors by reducing regulation through red tape repeal day? Mr TURNBULL (WentworthMinister for Communications) (14:27): I thank the member for Hume for his question. I note his lifelong interest in business and deregulation and his commitment to the Liberal values, which can be summarised by saying that, 'We believe government's job is to enable citizens to do their best,' Mr Perrett interjecting The SPEAKER: The member for Moreton has made his decision and will leave under 94(a). The member for Moreton then left the chamber. Mr TURNBULL: whereas, Labor's value is that government always knows best. We are turning the paradigm of government on its head. The previous government, every day, boasted of how many laws they had passed. For the first time, we have a government that is committed to repealing laws, to removing that regulation and red tape. I want to give honourable members some examples in my own portfolio of practical changes being made today that are very important for businesses. For example: at the moment, under the law, every radio stationno matter how smallhas to provide audited accounts every year. We have changed the law so that ACMA, the regulator, has the discretion to not require that with smaller stations. Steve Everett of ACE radio in Victoria, which has six stations in that category, says that this will not only reduce his workload but also cut his audit fees in half. These are real practical savings for business. Another example relating to the television industry: at the moment ACMA, the regulator, has no discretionwhen a complaint is made, it has to investigate it.

Turn049 A good example: WIN TV in Queensland broadcast an article in 2002 and 2005. There was a complaint about it in 2009seven years after the first broadcast and four years after the second. ACMA had no choiceit had to investigate it, and duly found in August 2010 that there had been no breaches.

That is the sort of red tape that we are removing, and there are many other examples in the telecommunications sector as well. Another key difference between our approach and that of our predecessor is the way we are dealing with industry. My predecessor, Senator Conroy, used to talk to industry leaders one at a timeprivately, so he could always tell each one what they wanted to hear. And these episodes of sycophancyprivate sycophancythen of course resulted in collective belligerence when they realised he had told each of them something different. What we are doing is dealing with the industry leaders openly. We met with the broadcasting chief executives and the telecom chief executivesdealing with industry openly so the public can see what we are doing and so they know that what we are doing is freeing business to do its job of delivering services more cost-effectively to all Australians. (Time expired)

Senator Sinodinos
Mr SHORTEN (MaribyrnongLeader of the Opposition) (14:31): My question is to the Prime Minister, in light of the Prime Minister's immediate answer to a previous questionthat former Assistant Treasurer Senator Sinodinos 'did the right thing', as the Prime Minister said. If it was the right thing to do, why was he appointed in the first place? The SPEAKER: I really find that an extraordinary question, and not within the confines of the standing orders. If the Leader of the Opposition would like to rephrase his question, he may do so. Mr SHORTEN: Madam Speaker, your editorialising about my question is not appropriate in all of the matter. I will rephrase the question, if it will help the chair. I hope this one meets with your approval. Mr Snowdon interjecting The SPEAKER: The member for Lingiari will withdraw or leave. Mr Snowdon: That woman over there The SPEAKER: He will leave forthwith, under 94(a). Mr Snowdon interjecting The SPEAKER: Perhaps, if he is tempting, he may be away for longer. The member for Lingiari then left the chamber. Mr Pyne: Madam Speaker, a point of order: I think the disrespectful tone with which the Leader of the Opposition's speaks to the chair is unacceptable. I know that he lacks parliamentary experience, and

perhaps he does not realise how to treat the chair, but I think he is being disrespectful to the chair. He should change his attitude, and you should ask him to do so in the future. The SPEAKER: Does the Manager of Opposition Business want the call? Mr Burke: I want to raise a point of order, but it is not on the point of order just raised by the Leader of the House, so I was waiting for you to rule on that before I did so, Madam Speaker. The SPEAKER: It was not a point of order that required a ruling. The Leader of the House was making a point of order which I did not regard as having to rule upon. The Manager of Opposition Business. Mr Burke: With respect to the question asked by the Leader of the Oppositionit must be in order for members of the opposition to ask why the Prime Minister has appointed someone as a minister. That is the most basic job of a Prime Minister. The question went squarely to that, and if we are not allowed to ask about the core functions of the Prime Minister, then question time will have changed radically. The SPEAKER: I have said to the Leader of the Opposition that he could rephrase his question and ask it. Mr SHORTEN: And just on indulgence, in light of what the Leader of Government Business said The SPEAKER: No, there is no indulgence given. Mr SHORTEN: I was just about to agree to adopt a more respectful tone. The SPEAKER: Well, thank you very much. Mr SHORTEN: My question to the Prime Minister is this: if the former Assistant Treasurer, Arthur Sinodinos, did the right and honourable thingas the Prime Minister has just said he haswhy was he appointed in the first place? The SPEAKER: I have to say, I did not notice any change in the wording. Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (14:34): Senator Sinodinos was appointed to the ministry because he is a man of great distinctiona man of great distinction and high competence, a decent and an honourable man. And he has demonstrated just what an honourable man he is by his actions earlier today.

Child Care
Mr VARVARIS (Barton) (14:35): My question is to the Assistant Minister for Education. I refer the minister to the report in the Australian on 3 March 2014 indicating that hundreds of childcare centres

across the nation are being forced to break the former government's childcare regulations just to remain open. How will the government's red tape repeal agenda help to address this issue? Ms LEY (FarrerAssistant Minister for Education) (14:35): Thank you to the member for Barton, in whose electorate I spent some time last weekat the Kogarah RSL, having a round table discussion with childcare providers and services. From the member for Barton's electorate I heard the same things I have been hearing from members on this side of the House for a long time now. We know that the new framework under which the childcare sector operates contains more than 1,000 pages of regulation and more than 1,000 pages of guidelines and is often described by those who have to comply with it as 'overwhelming', 'terrifying', and 'drowning in regulation'. The Labor Party always comes back to us with the same line. They say that regulation and red tape keep children safe. Well, I have news for the Labor Partyred tape does not keep children safe. In fact, it may well do the opposite. Every day I speak to educators who say things like this: 'Why did we become educators in the child care system? Because we love children, because we connect with them, we have a bond with them, and we want to care for and nurture them.'

Turn050 What we do not want to do Opposition members interjecting The SPEAKER: The Member for Gorton will desist Ms LEY: is spend hours and hours of our time filling out reports. For example, if a childcare centre has an assessment it has to produce on demand a report card about a particular child. I am told that takes 22 hours to write. In fact, directors of centres are giving educators extra time to do the paperwork. So, when you meet these wonderful, caring women Opposition members interjecting The SPEAKER: The member for Rankin will desist Ms LEY: and some menwho nurture the next generation, where are they? Are they on the floor engaging with the children, or reading, or teaching? No, they are locked in the director's office doing the paperwork.

The member for Barton talked about breaking regulations to open centres, because Labor was so inflexible when it introduced this regime. It said, 'if we do not have the exact ratios complied with for every second of the day, then you cannot stay open'. So, if I am a centre director who gets to work to find one of my preschool teachers called in sick and I cannot find another on short notice, I cannot replace that person with a qualified educator who is not a preschool teacher, but who might still be qualified with an Certificate III in Education. Instead I have to ring the department and get permission to open my centre. This is ridiculous. This is madness. We do not want the wonderful, caring, quality educators who nurture the next generation to have to find another job because they cannot do the thing they loveand the thing they are trained in. Opposition members interjecting The SPEAKER: The member for Kingston will desist. Ms LEY: You can have confidence that the coalition will get this right. We have started work with the state and territory jurisdictions already and we have tranches of red tape removal going through. I look forward to the support of members opposite to actually get this agenda going.

Australian Water Holdings

Mr SHORTEN (MaribyrnongLeader of the Opposition) (14:38): My question is to the Prime Minister. Has the Prime Minister ever discussed Australian Water Holdings with Senator Sinodinos, and if so, when? Mr Husic: I hope your bikie shorts are made out of Teflon. The SPEAKER: The member for Chifley will remove himself under standing order 94(a). The member for Chifley then left the Chamber. Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (14:39): I could understand the Leader of the Opposition's indignation if someone here had done the wrong thing, but Senator Sinodinos has done the right and honourable thing. An investigation into a company with which he was once associated is taking place. He has stepped aside until such time as the investigation concerning him has been concluded. Mr Burke: Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There was no preamble to the question, it was a very specific question about what the Prime Minister knew. The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister has finished his answer.

Mr Burke: Madam Speaker, I am raising a point of order. The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister has indicated he has completed his answer. Mr Burke: Madam Speaker, I had the call. I was given the call Opposition members interjecting The SPEAKER: I call the Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order, and it had better be relevant. Mr Burke: Madam Speaker, precisely. It is directly relevant, under 104(a) The SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Mr Burke: How. How can that not be The SPEAKER: I call the honourable member for Page.

Deregulation
Mr HOGAN (Page) (14:41): My question is to the Minister for Small Business. I remind the minister that there are around 10,000 small businesses in my electorate of Page that are struggling under the burden of red and green tape. How will the red tape repeal day help these small businesses, and create much needed jobs? Mr BILLSON (DunkleyMinister for Small Business) (14:41): I want to thank the member for Page, not only for his question but for the outstanding work he does as an advocate for small businesses, family enterprises and farming businesses throughout his electorate. It is great that they have such a strong advocate here. We are getting on with the job of creating the right environment, so that businesses in Page and right across Australia can grow and prosper. That is why we keep bringing forward opportunities to cut the red tape that is strangling so many enterprises in this economy. That is why we are seeking to have this parliament support the government's measure to save business $44 million by removing the compulsory pay-clerk burden that is imposed on them under the former government's Paid Parental Leave scheme. That is $44 million of savings for businesses, and for those interested in the not-for-profit community it is a $4 million dollar saving for them as well. Not only do we, and the electorate, think that is a good idea, but ACCI surveyed its members and found 84.3 per cent of those businesses either agreed or strongly agreed that the government should not be

requiring employers to be the paymaster for the Paid Parental Leave scheme. I would hope that message is getting through to those opposite. We have tried before to get this burden lifted. There has been no credible policy argument about why this cost and compliance imposition need be there. Yet, Labor has rejected those efforts on every occasion. Now we have seen all the state chambers of commerce come out and tell them to get behind what the government is doing. There is a chorus of support across the small business community. But what will Labor actually do? Like small business people, I am perpetually optimistic. I am hoping that with 'repeal day' Labor will now come and join with the small businesses in Page and in the wider community to repeal this burden. There is some cause for optimism. Earlier today the Leader of the Opposition said, 'We are committed, in a bipartisan spirit, to the organised and ongoing effort to minimise and simplify, and create cost effective regulation.' Well, I heard the words, but I am particularly unconvinced, and we must see what actually happens. Small businesses know that there is a cost to compliance. They know that compliance tasks are not cheap, but will the Leader of the Opposition's words be cheap? We are not sure. The form is not good and it is not encouraging. It was as far back as 2008 that a former small business ministerand yes, there were six of them under LaborCraig Emerson came out and said Labor was, 'promising to take a giant pair of scissors to red tape that is strangling small business'. He went on to say, 'it has accumulated around the necks of small business for the best part of 20 years'. Well, what did they do? They added 21,000 new or amended regulations. You have seen us fall down the ladder of the government's regulatory impact on business. Let us see if Labor walks the talk. Back this red tape reduction, and then, next, help us repeal the carbon tax. That would be great for the businesses in Page.

Turn051

Australian Water Holdings

Mr SHORTEN (MaribyrnongLeader of the Opposition) (14:44): My question is to the Prime Minister. Has the Prime Minister ever discussed Australian Water Holdings with Senator Sinodinos, and, if so, when? Or, to put it plainly, what does the Prime Minister know about this matter and when did you know it?

Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (14:44):

What I know is that this government is

determined to uphold high standards in public life. Senator Sinodinos stepping aside this morning is in the best Westminster tradition.

Ukraine
Mr WOOD (La Trobe) (14:45): My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The situation in Ukraine is of deep concern in my electorate of the La Trobe. Will the minister update the House on Australia's response to recent developments in the Ukraine? Ms JULIE BISHOP (CurtinMinister for Foreign Affairs) (14:45): I thank the member for La Trobe for his question. I note his deep interest in this issue. I can confirm to the House that, overnight, Russian President Vladimir Putin took action to annex Crimea. Today I announce the Australian government will impose targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against those who have been instrumental in the Russian threat to Ukraine's sovereignty. The actions taken by Russia are a clear violation of international rules prohibiting the use of force and protecting the territorial integrity of states. International law does not allow one state to steal the territory of another on the basis of a referendum that cannot be considered free or fair. The referendum carried out in Crimea on 16 March was not authorised by Ukraine and was carried out while Russian forces were, effectively, in control of the territory. It cannot form the legitimate basis of any alteration to the status of Crimea. I condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of violence against Ukraine and its citizens. The situation in Ukraine remains serious, with the potential for military confrontation. The fatal attack on a Ukrainian serviceman in Crimea is to be deplored and underlines the volatility of the crisis that Russia is fuelling. Australia has stood with the international community in condemning Russia's actions in Crimea. We joined with 12 other nations in the United Nations Security Council voting on a resolution that declared the referendum could have no validity. No member opposed this resolution, except Russia. Australia's response to Russia's actions is aligned with the action taken by the EU, the United States and Canada, who have also implemented a number of targeted sanctions and travel bans. Measures have been taken in close coordination with our friends and allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan.

Overnight, I spoke with foreign secretary William Hague, who acknowledged Australia's support in his speech to the House of Commons last night. I have also spoken with the interim Ukrainian foreign minister. Australia has taken these actions in solidarity and support for a rules based international order. This is in our core national interest to promote peace, stability and security. I reaffirm in unequivocal terms Australia's support for Ukraine's territorial integrity. I continue to urge Russia to abide by its international obligations and behave as a responsible member of the international community. I urge Russia to return to constructive diplomatic dialogue.

DISTINGUISHED VISITORS
The SPEAKER (14:48): I would like to advise that we have some members from state parliaments who are with us today. I make them welcome. We also have the Mayor of the Northern Grampians Shire. You are most welcome. Honourable members: Hear, hear!

STATEMENTS ON INDULGENCE Ukraine

Ms PLIBERSEK (SydneyDeputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:48): I wish to associate myself with the remarks of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The opposition supports the government in the implementation of targeted financial sanctions and travel bans imposed on individuals who have been instrumental in the Russian threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Australia has a special responsibility as a member of the Security Council to join the international community in taking strong action to make clear our condemnation of the moves by Russia to annex Crimea and of the fatal attack on the Ukrainian serviceman in Crimea. We urge Russia to reconsider its actions.

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Australian Water Holdings

Mr SHORTEN (MaribyrnongLeader of the Opposition) (14:49): My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to his previous answers in today's question time about ministerial standards. Why has the Prime Minister repeatedly refused now in this question time to explain to the parliament what the Prime Minister knows about Australian Water Holdings and when he was told by Senator Sinodinos? Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (14:49): It is not my job to provide a running commentary on private conversations. It is my job to ensure that standards of decency in public life are upheld. And that

is precisely what has happened today. Senator Sinodinos has done the right and honourable thing. I am proud of him and I am looking forward to his return to the ministry.

Asylum Seekers
Mr RANDALL (Canning) (14:50): My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Will the minister update the House on implementation of the full range of the government's border protection policies and any impediments that exist to their implementation? Mr MORRISON (CookMinister for Immigration and Border Protection) (14:50): I thank the

member for Canning for his question. Those on this side of the House could not be more supportive of strong measures on our borders. But with the member for Canning, I think there is no member in this House on this side who is a stronger supporter of our border protection measuresnot just now but over a long period of time. Dr Chalmers interjecting The SPEAKER: Order! There will be silence on my left and the member for Rankin will desist or leaveone or the other. Mr MORRISON: The reason for that is he knowslike the Liberals who are running for the Senate in Western Australia, the now Minister for Defence, the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection and Linda Reynolds, who has 30 years experience in the ADF, knowthe importance of strong border protection measures. They have demonstrated that with their actions. It is the A-team, if you like, of the Western Australian ticket. If you are interested in national security and strong border protection laws, then they are the people you can support in Western Australia in that election.

Turn052 I can report to the member for Canning that we are getting results because we are doing what we said we would do. We went to the election with a strong commitment to put in policies that we knew worked, that did work and that are working again. The result of that is 90 days since we have had a successful people-smuggling venture to this country. It was three months ago, on 19 December last year, when we last saw a successful venture; in the same three-month period 12 months ago, 2,591 people turned up on 47 vessels under the previous government's policies. As a result of this we have been able to establish another

4,000 places in the special humanitarian program to give visas to people who were waiting under their laws and their failures. There are four centres that we have been able to close and we will be closing more on the mainland because of the success of our policies. But there are frustrationsand those frustrations sit opposite. They still want to give permanent visas to the more than 30,000 people who turned up on their watch and still sit here in this country today. That is their policy. Yesterday in the Senate they teamed up with the Greens again and they voted against the restoration of temporary protection visas. Some leaders of the opposition are referred to as small targets. This Leader of the Opposition is just small. He is not big enough to rise above his union background and he is not big enough to let go of the policy failures of the Labor Party when they were in government. He should free himself from the shackles of Labor's policy failures on border protection and he should support the policies of this government that are delivering stronger borders and are stopping the boats.

Assistant Treasurer
Mr SHORTEN (MaribyrnongLeader of the Opposition) (14:53): My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister's previous answers today. The New South Wales ICAC confirmed it was investigating Australian Water Holdings in early February. Why did it take more than a month before Senator Sinodinos stood aside and what has changed between today and the last 40 days? Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (14:54): The important thing is that Senator Sinodinos has decided to step aside for the good of the government. He has done the right and the honourable thing and he should be given credit by members opposite. Mr Burke: Madam Speaker, on a point of order under standing order 104(a): there is no way in the world this is directly relevant to the question that was asked. A government member interjecting Mr Burke: I appreciate the comment as to whether the Prime Minister is early in his answer, but if I wait any longer for the point of order I will be told his answer has concluded, so the only chance I get to bring it to your attention is right now. The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has concluded his answer!

Health
Mr WILSON (O'Connor) (14:55): My question is to the Minister for Health. I refer the minister to the Cockburn GP superclinic in Western Australia that was promised three years ago, is not open and yet to see a single patient. How have the delays to this clinic affected the delivery of health services in Western Australia? Honourable members interjecting The SPEAKER: Order! There will be silence! I call the honourable Minister for Health but I would ask himthere is too much noise in the chamber Government members interjecting The SPEAKER: There will be silence on my right! Did the honourable the minister hear the question? Mr DUTTON (DicksonMinister for Health and Minister for Sport) (14:55): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, I did hear the question, yes. The SPEAKER: Then you have the call to answer. Mr DUTTON: I thank the member for O'Connor for the question. It is a very important question because it is about health services in Western Australia. The problem is that the Labor Party took money and put it into great big new bureaucracies in Canberra, 12 of them in total, and it really diminished the capacity to help patients that were in need in Western Australia and around the country. I have spoken about the GP superclinic program on a couple of occasions now. When you look at the detail of what the member for Sydney claimed to be one of Labor's great successes, it really had many of the same attributes as other Labor Party public policy initiatives. The member for Sydney sits beside the member for McMahon. He was the master behind Fuelwatch and GroceryWatch. Other success stories Ms King: Madam Speaker, on a point of order on direct relevance: he was asked a question about GP superclinics that are providing some three million services to people in our communities The SPEAKER: The member will resume her seat. The Minister for Health has the call. Mr DUTTON: Just wandered out of the jungle? The war is over! GP superclinics have been a complete failure. You promised 64, in six years you only delivered 27but wait to hear about this one at Cockburn. Honourable members interjecting

The SPEAKER: Order! There will be silence! The chamber has become positively unseemly. We will give the call to the member for Grayndler. Mr Albanese: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am sure you were just about to intervene to draw the member's attention The SPEAKER: I do not want commentary. The member will go straight to the point of order. Mr Albanese: The standing order breach is about personal aspersions on members. The minister opposite is a serial offender The SPEAKER: The member will resume his seat. The minister will refer to people by their correct titles. Mr DUTTON: The Labor Party presided The SPEAKER: And perhaps it would assist the House if you would withdraw the remark. Mr DUTTON: I would be happy to withdraw. Please allow me then to talk about other policy successes of the Rudd-Gillard years of which the member for Sydney is most proud. The National Rental Affordability Scheme: a great success! The member for Adelaide: a 10 per cent success rate in her program. The SPEAKER: The minister will refer to people by their correct titles. Mr Albanese: Madam Speaker The SPEAKER: I presume that was your point of order? Mr Albanese: That could have been one of them, Madam Speaker! The SPEAKER: In that case you can resume your seat. Mr Albanese: He is in breach of most of them. My particular point of order was going to be about relevance: now he is not even talking about health. The SPEAKER: The minister will return to the question. Mr DUTTON: Certainly, Madam Speaker. I am asked about the Cockburn GP superclinic. This was promised in 2009. For those people unacquainted with this program, this was a government program where they put money into setting up clinics which were going to compete with existing GP clinics. The problem with this was, of course

Ms Rishworth interjecting The SPEAKER: The member for Kingston will desist! Mr Champion interjecting The SPEAKER: The member for Wakefield is warned!

Turn053 Mr DUTTON: It was a $6.65 million program. The first sod was turned two years later in October 2011. It still has not been constructed. Yet, $6 million of that money has already been given to the project but not one patient has been seen. Not one patient has been seen! It reminds me of other projects that the Labor Party has been associated with. Look at Centenary House for arguments sake. It only took 17 months to construct and yet they cannot construct a superclinic within four or five years. The SPEAKER: The minister will resume his seat. The member for Grayndler. Mr Albanese: I am very concerned that the minister is defying your ruling now.

Assistant Treasurer
Mr SHORTEN (MaribyrnongLeader of the Opposition) (15:00): My question is to the Prime Minister. Earlier in question time, the Prime Minister said that he did not believe that Senator Sinodinos has done anything wrong. So why did he agree with Senator Sinodinos that he should, in fact, resign? Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (15:00): I want to make it absolutely crystal clear that Senator Sinodinos has stood aside. He has not resigned. Because he has acted in an exemplary and an honourable fashion, and in accordance with the Westminster tradition I am looking forward to his return to the ministry. Government members: Hear! Hear!

Moree Public Housing Construction

Mr COULTON (ParkesThe Nationals Chief Whip) (15:01): My question is to the Minister for Social Services. I refer the minister to reports in the Moree Champion of 4 March 2014 that at least 20 units of public housing are sinking into the ground. What caused the situation, and what is the government's response? The SPEAKER: I call the Minister for Social Services.

Mr ANDREWS (MenziesMinister for Social Services) (15:01): I thank the member for Parkes for his question. I acknowledge his great representation in this place of that large area of central and western New South Wales. Indeed I have seen the report that the honourable member refers to about public housing built in Moree under the previous Labor government's so-called Nation Building Program. That report indicated many of these 62 units are actually falling apart. They are falling apart. The foundations are collapsing into the drainage and sewerage systems, windows are cracking, so much so that many of the 62 residents of those new units, funded by the previous Labor government, are having to move away from Moree to towns all over New South Wales because there is insufficient public housing. In fact, why did this happen? This happened because The SPEAKER: The member for Gorton will desist. Mr ANDREWS: the units were built without council approval in Moree's notoriously shifty black soil. That is why it occurred. The mayor of the local council had to say, 'We fought like mad to stop it. We had no say in the design and constructionnormally council has to check all footings and the depth of concrete. We were disturbed with the designs we saw, but they just pushed us to the side. It was the worst arrogance we have ever seen'. I was wondering, given that this was funded by the previous Labor government, who might have been responsible? Honourable members interjecting Mr ANDREWS: Of course they have six choices because they had six ministers responsible for housing under the previous Labor government. But I will give you a hintthis one over here! Yes, you would be right if you said it was the hapless member for Sydney! Honourable members interjecting The SPEAKER: The minister will resume his seat. There is far too much noise in the chamber. The Manager of Opposition Business Mr BURKE (WatsonManager of Opposition Business) (15:04): It should not be in order for the person responsible for deporting Hanif to talk about people being hapless. Opposition members: Hear! Hear!

The SPEAKER: The minister will resume his seat. If the Manger of Opposition Business abuses points of order in that way again he will leave the chamber. The minister has the call. Mr ANDREWS: We find her incompetent administration of not only the GP Super Clinics The SPEAKER: The member for Perth! The member for Perth is warned! Mr ANDREWS: and her incompetent administration of the enros?? program, but now her incompetent administration of the public housing program The SPEAKER: The minister will resume his seat. The member for Grayndler on a point of order. Mr Albanese: It goes to relevance. No-one on this side of the house was ever the New South Wales state housing minister, and that is what he is referring to. The SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The member will resume his seat. The minister has the call. Mr ANDREWS: I tell you what: just as well she was not in charge of the immigration program. Opposition members interjecting Mr ANDREWS: The reality is The SPEAKER: The member Honourable members interjecting The SPEAKER: The question has been asked. The minister is answering it and has the call. Mr ANDREWS: The reality is, millions of dollars have been wasted. These units are falling apart. Millions of dollars will probably have to be spent to refix them. Just another Labor mess! Government members: Hear! Hear!

Assistant Treasurer
Mr SHORTEN (MaribyrnongLeader of the Opposition) (15:05): My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister advise the House, and the people listening to parliament, the differences between standing aside and resigning in terms of responsibilities, staff, salary and entitlements? The SPEAKER: I call the honourable the Prime Minister.

Mr ABBOTT (WarringahPrime Minister) (15:05): I can advise that for the period in which Senator Sinodinos has stepped aside he will draw no ministerial salary and will have no access to ministerial entitlements.

Syria
Mr RUDDOCK (BerowraChief Government Whip) (15:06): I have a question for the Foreign Minister. I ask the minister will you update the House in relation to developments in Syria and also concerns expressed by my constituents of the possibilities of Australians participating in the fighting in Syria? Ms JULIE BISHOP (CurtinMinister for Foreign Affairs) (15:06): I thank the member for Berowra for his question, and I note his deep and enduring interest in matters relating to the Middle East. The Australian government deplores the violence and suffering that is occurring in Syria. We note the tragic loss of over 130,000 lives in this conflict. We support international efforts to find common ground for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Turn054 We are seriously concerned by reports that Australians have travelled to the Levant region to actively support or participate in fighting in Syria. Australia has put in place an arms embargo, therefore it is illegal for any Australian citizen or any dual citizen to engage in fighting for either side in Syria and it is illegal for them to fund, train or recruit someone else to fight, or to supply weapons to either side. Australia has also prescribed the al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant as terrorist organisations under our Criminal Code listing regime. We are concerned about the radicalisation of Australians as a result of the Syrian conflict, particularly those who travel to Syria and return to Australia with capabilities acquired through fighting or training with extremist groups. I am aware of reports of the death of an Australian ADF member in Syria. I can inform the House that the individual was not a serving ADF member. The individual joined the Australian Army in February 2009 and was discharged in September 2010, following around three months absence without leave. He held the rank of sapper and had basic engineering training.

We do remain deeply concerned for the safety of Australians in Syria. The security situation is extremely dangerous, with ongoing military conflict, kidnapping and terrorist attacks. We will continue to review the cancellation of passports to prevent breaches of the arms embargo. Foreign ministers current and former have exercised their discretionary power under the Australian Passports Act to cancel passports. I also remind the House that Australia co-authored UN Security Council resolution 2139 on the humanitarian situation in Syria. This was supported by all members of the Security Council. In addition, Australia has provided around $111 million in humanitarian assistance. We have also provided $2 million to assist with the work on the elimination of chemical weapons in Syria. Mr Abbott: After 27 questions, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.