QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (14:55): Our housing policies are aimed at giving young people a fair crack. We've changed the system so that, this Saturday, if a young couple turn up at an auction, they're not competing versus an investor who has taxpayer support. So, if they bid an extra $20,000 or $50,000, they know that they actually get a bonus and every taxpayer helping them out by increasing the deductions under negative gearing.

What we are doing is making sure that people who were negatively gearing properties when the changes came in can still continue to do so. What's more, young people or anyone else can continue to invest in a negatively geared property as well. Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order!

We'll hear from the Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order. Mr Tehan: On relevance, I refer to a statement by Speaker Smith on 2 December 2020. He said: In doing that, he needs to address the question that was asked, not just deal with material that is on the policy topic but not having dealt with the question itself.

The Prime Minister has not dealt with the question about a guarantee on falling house prices. The SPEAKER: I want to deal with this. I also want to refer to Speaker Smith's ruling on 1 March 2017, where he ruled about policy topics.

Points of order were not to be used as an opportunity to repeat the question. We've now strayed into this territory of points of order where people are simply repeating the question and adding extra things in. If you wish to take a point of order on relevance, that's okay.

But, at this stage, the Prime Minister— Mr Tehan interjecting— The SPEAKER: Let me finish what I'm saying, and then you may respond. That's the normal process. I don't interrupt you when you're on your feet.

Whilst the leniency is there to allow points of order to be taken on relevance, there have been precedents where that leniency has been withdrawn. I'm not going to do that in this case. I'll hear from the manager if he's got something else to say.

Mr Tehan: Further to the point that I was making, it goes to what Speaker Smith had to say: … he needs to address the question that was asked … That was the point that I was making. The SPEAKER: Yes, and I can appreciate that the Leader of the Opposition would like a yes-no answer. That's what he was directly asking about.

But the standing orders don't allow the Speaker to direct any minister to directly answer a question. They've got to be directly relevant. So if the Prime Minister is talking about the policy, he is being directly relevant.

If you'd like to change the standing orders, you're welcome to suggest that. I've had those discussions with members before, but no-one has taken me up on that option. At this stage, if the Prime Minister is being directly relevant about the policy that he was asked about—and in this case it was about house prices—we'll make sure he is being directly relevant to that.

Mr Taylor interjecting— The SPEAKER: Thanks, Leader of the Opposition. Mr Tehan interjecting— Government members interjecting— The SPEAKER: The manager can have the call. Mr Tehan: This is important for question time.

I'm allowed to say it. That's my job, and I don't need the peanut gallery interrupting. The SPEAKER: Order!

I don't like that sort of terminology, as we had that issue— Mr McCormack: It's not the Colosseum. The SPEAKER: The member for Riverina is correct. It is not the Colosseum.

Can everyone remind themselves not to interject or use that sort of phraseology. Everyone here is in their own right as a member of parliament.