Question time in federal parliament

QUESTION TIME - IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

WHAT WE LEARNED:

* This is the 21st century, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reminded Labor MPs. And that meant Australians should be able to deal digitally with Medicare like they do with their banks and merchants.

* Clive Palmer bore the brunt of government anger about cash-strapped Queensland Nickel. Liberal backbencher Owen Jones was booted by the Speaker for reminding the refinery owner of the 237 workers who lost their jobs. The PM told Palmer he should consider his responsibilities to those men and women when he raises issues such as gender equality.

* Under-siege minister Stuart Robert stonewalled Labor questions about a private trip he took to China in August 2014. Instead he referred, repeatedly, to an answer he gave on Tuesday.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO SPIN:

All the things it's doing to close the gap of indigenous disadvantage.

WHAT LABOR WANTED TO TALK ABOUT:

A potential government plan to outsource payment of Medicare benefits; negative gearing; Stuart Robert.

YOU SAID WHAT?

"The leader of the opposition is as convincing in his indignation as he was in his defence of the lettuces of Australia," PM links Labor anger about Stuart Robert and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten's supermarket campaign against a 15 per cent GST.

TOP TWEET:

"Will the Foreign Minister table the issue of Who Weekly she is reading from?" Labor's Tim Watts.