Mr BRUCE SCOTT (3:17 PM) —My question is to the Prime Minister. Given that the Prime Minister has just had a pay increase of some $95,000 and that in his capacity as Prime Minister he has had two free houses and a private jet made available to him, will the Prime Minister commit to not being a part-time Prime Minister and to attending parliament each scheduled sitting Friday?

Mr RUDD (Prime Minister) —I thank the honourable member for this question. As I said in response to a question in this place last week, firstly, the number of question times in this House this year will increase relative to the average annual number of question times through the duration of the Howard government. That is very important. Secondly, the number of sitting days for the parliament will also be greater than was the case under the Howard government. These provide ample opportunities for members to ask questions of the executive—a greater number, in fact, than existed on average over the years of the Howard government—and a greater opportunity for members such as the member for Maranoa to raise questions in this place and to use the opportunity to stand up in private members’ business to put forward the interests of the good people of Maranoa and the challenges that they face. As the government peruse observations and reflections made by the member for Maranoa about what needs to be done in Charleville, Roma and places like that, we will be very attentive to what those contain and will reflect on them in the responses we provide.