A tale of two questions on security

Tony Abbott has given a short course in political defence tactics - if the attack touches you personally, belt your inquisitor; if you can distance yourself from the sin, be nice.

It was on display in Thursday's very loud - Bronwyn Bishop called it caterwauling - question time.

Bill Shorten led off with Abbott's ASIO visit where accompanying media cameras recorded colour-coded maps showing where potential terrorists tend to live.

Whose idea was it? And what were the security protocols? he asked

The PM didn't even pretend to answer that or any follow-up questions.

Instead he rubbished Labor for impugning ASIO's professionalism. The idea the spy agency would put classified material at risk was insulting.

Mark Dreyfus was warned when he interrupted to say Labor had complete faith in ASIO.

Shortly after he took another dodgy point of order and Bishop ordered him out for an hour.

When Dreyfus continued to argue the toss - though what he said was lost in the uproar - she "named" him, the start of the process leading to a longer suspension.

Usually it's 24 hours. But Bishop, citing his bad record, gave him a whopping first three days of the spring sittings.

For whatever reason, perhaps it's the rather superior air that's so common in QCs, Dreyfus does seem to get under her skin. Much more than, say, the more rough and tumble Anthony Albanese.

Then the contrast - a rare question from the mild-mannered Anthony Byrne. He asked Abbott about the Victorian Liberals exploiting national security in their fund-raising.

Abbott was gentle. He acknowledged Byrne's work as deputy chair of the intelligence and security committee and was sure he'd never suspect the government of politicising national security.

It was his Victorian mates who copped it. They were wrong, their action in poor taste, he said.

The difference between the two matters was clear.

The ASIO visit almost certainly didn't breach security but it equally certainly was a political stunt. And Abbott, who looked gravely into the cameras, couldn't pretend he wasn't there. So kill the questioner.

The Victorian wheeze really was, so far as anyone knows, nothing to do with him or his office. So he could afford to largely agree with the questioner.

Of course, Abbott couldn't let the winter sitting end with such amity.

So shortly after he told Shorten and his troops to spend the next six weeks taking a long, hard look at themselves because Australia needed a Labor party in the best traditions of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating.

He seems to have forgotten how those gentlemen used to delight in taking the Liberals apart.