Speaker Tony Smith goes to town on leaders’ stoush

House of Representatives ­Speaker Tony Smith has given Scott Morrison a dressing down over the Prime Minister’s conduct ­during question time.

Speaker Tony Smith.

House of Representatives ­Speaker Tony Smith has given Scott Morrison a dressing down over the Prime Minister’s conduct ­during question time.

Mr Smith, the Liberal MP for the Victorian electorate of Casey, criticised Mr Morrison for ignoring his rulings about turning a question on government policy into “attacking the Leader of the Opposition”.

Mr Smith was also critical of Mr Morrison for voicing his refusal to withdraw a criticism he made of Anthony Albanese, ­before Mr Smith came to a judgment over whether the Prime Minister would need to retract his remarks.

“The Prime Minister saying he’s not going to withdraw is very unhelpful for the debate; it is very unhelpful when I am seeking to rule,” Mr Smith said. “If the chair does ask for a withdrawal, that has to happen.”

The frosty exchange occurred after Mr Morrison repeated his claim that Mr Albanese had ­refused to meet the head of the vaccine rollout, Lieutenant General John Frewen.

Mr Morrison made the claim after being asked by Labor MP Pat Gorman about the Prime Minister’s inconsistent attitude towards state government policies on Covid-19.

“The Prime Minister just said he seeks to support all the premiers in the work they do to save lives,” Mr Gorman said.

“So why then did he intervene in the High Court case to support Clive Palmer’s attempts to tear down the WA border?”

Mr Morrison responded that he was “also the Prime Minister, which after discussions with the West Australian Premier decided to withdraw our case”.

“This is a leader of the Labor Party who couldn’t be bothered even coming to Canberra to meet with the head of our vaccination program,” Mr Morrison said.

Mr Albanese rose to make a point of order against Mr Morrison’s claim, with the Prime Minister pre-emptively telling Mr Smith: “I’m not withdrawing.”

Mr Albanese said Mr Morrison repeated an “untrue” statement, according to the facts outlined by the Labor leader in a personal explanation in parliament on Wednesday.

“A briefing (with General Frewen) was offered for this ­parliamentary sitting week,” Mr Albanese said.

“I offered three dates, two on Tuesday, one on Thursday, in ­accordance with the request.

“The Health Minister’s chief of staff responded back accepting, saying, ‘Let’s lock in 4pm on Thursday’.

“The Prime Minister has twice during this question time repeated something that he should know is untrue and that is untrue. And I ask him to withdraw.”

Mr Smith said a withdrawal was not technically possible under the standing order Mr ­Albanese was referencing.

“(But) under that standing order I don’t think (Mr Morrison’s) claim can be made again unless there is new information,” Mr Smith said.