Mr BEAZLEY (3:23 PM) —I want to ask a question about that matter, Mr Speaker. The question concerns your responsibility for the conduct of the House and the assurance that no person is being deliberately misled by the actions of any other person. This is quite serious, Mr Speaker. It is quite evident from the materials produced by the minister’s own department that the statement he made that Grayndler was the largest recipient, in order to make a political point against my colleague and against the Labor Party, was simply a lie.

The SPEAKER —Order! The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition would be well aware there are—

Opposition members interjecting—

The SPEAKER —The Leader of the Opposition is debating an issue.

Mr BEAZLEY —I am not debating it; I am asking you a question, sir.

The SPEAKER —I will hear the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr BEAZLEY —Mr Speaker, in order for you to be able to answer the question, I would draw your attention to the facts—and we will seek leave to table these facts—that quite clearly Wentworth, North Sydney, Bradfield and Warringah are the leading ones and the member for Grayndler’s is about 14th on the list. I ask you to investigate this, Mr Speaker, to see whether or not an act by the Leader of the House to deliberately mislead us is disorderly and, on that basis, to take action in this place to enforce your authority on him—

The SPEAKER —The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.

Mr BEAZLEY —to oblige him to tell us—

Mr Abbott —You big bellowing cow.

The SPEAKER —Order! The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. I will respond to his question. The Leader of the House will withdraw that statement.

Mr Abbott —Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition regularly interjects ‘pompous ass’ and ‘goose’, but I am happy to withdraw. I will accept a higher standard than he does.

Mr BEAZLEY —On that basis, Mr Speaker, I think that he is a sleazy, dummy-spitting little git.