Parliament erupts over calls to sack Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended his minister who is under attack from Labor for his handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has lashed out at Opposition calls to sack his aged care minister.

In Question Time on Thursday, Labor leader Anthony Albanese asked Mr Morrison if there was no one on the Coalition backbench who could do a better job than Senator Richard Colbeck.

But Mr Morrison retaliated, saying “there’s no one who sits over there who could”.

“You won’t find a treasurer on that side, you won’t find another deputy prime minister as good as this one who is pretending to do it on that side or the minister for home affairs or attorney-general,” he said.

Both sides of parliament erupted as Mr Morrison went on to list Cabinet ministers in the House and commended those in the Senate.

The Opposition used Question Time this week to grill the Government over its handling of the aged care crisis, including serious outbreaks resulting in more than 300 deaths.

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Senator Richard Colbeck has again apologised for not knowing the number of deaths in aged care homes due to coronavirus. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

Mr Morrison and Mr Albanese also paid their respects to the families of 51 New Zealanders killed by an Australian during the tragic Christchurch mosque massacre.

Mr Morrison told the parliament that “justice today was delivered” to the terrorist and murderer that was sentenced to life without parole.

Mr Albanese said the act aimed to sow division but in the end only succeeded in bringing the people of New Zealand closer together.

He also congratulated Labor MPs Anika Wells and Alicia Payne who are soon due to give birth.