Ms PLIBERSEK (Sydney—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:14): My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. I refer the minister to the importance of the diesel fuel tax rebate to primary producers. Liberal Party members are now telling journalists that they never really considered any changes to the diesel fuel tax rebate because, 'Gina and Twiggy would've come after us.' Why is the National Party making millions of Australians pay a petrol tax hike knowing people who drive long distances in country areas will be the worst affected? Mr Pyne: Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Previous Speakers have upheld rulings and precedents in House of Representatives Practicethat members cannot be asked about internal party matters, whether in the party room, in the cabinet or in this parliament. If standing orders are to mean anything, the opposition must attempt to make the question to be within the responsibilities of the minister concerned. A question about the diesel fuel rebate should go to the Treasurer, not to the Minister for Agriculture. I would ask you to indicate that that is the case. The SPEAKER: On the point of order, the Manager of Opposition Business. Mr Burke: On the point of order, Madam Speaker, it has for a long time been the practice in this House—and I remember when I was receiving questions from the now Acting Prime Minister when I was Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry—that a minister for agriculture is expected to be able to give answers on a range of issues affecting constituents in farming communities. It has been that case for a long time and the final part of the question went specifically to that point. The SPEAKER: The preamble to the 'nut' of what you might call the question was, again, very close to offending under standing order 100. So the Minister for Agriculture may answer the question but ignore the first part of it.