QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Mr BOWEN (McMahon—Minister for Climate Change and Energy) (15:58): I thank the honourable member for her question. Perhaps the honourable member didn't take in when I read out the communique from energy ministers—when we agreed to work together on coordination measures over the coming weeks and months. That's why we appointed a supply coordinator to work not just across the federal bureaucracy but across the states to work with industry, because that is the appropriate thing to do.

But this question really goes to the approach of the opposition here—asking constructive questions about fuel supply, making constructive suggestions? No. Fearmongering, disinformation—that's the opposition's approach.

The SPEAKER: Has the minister concluded his answer? The manager of opposition business, on a point of order? Mr Tehan: It's on relevance.

This question had nothing to do with the opposition. It was about whether there was going to be a nationally consistent approach to fuel rationing. The Australian people want to know an answer.

The SPEAKER: The manager is correct. It was not about the opposition. If the minister has nothing else to add, he'll have to be brief with his remarks.

He won't be able to, for the remaining two minutes, talk about the opposition. He wasn't asked about that. Mr BOWEN: I simply say that this government will continue to work constructively with state governments and will continue to work constructively with industry—and it's state governments like the Tasmanian state government, which is working very constructively with this government across the field in this difficult environment because that's what sensible, adult governments do.

That's what serious people do. Non-serious people play politics in an international crisis. The SPEAKER: The Minister for Employment is warned.