Question time in federal parliament

QUESTION TIME IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

WHAT HAPPENED:

* Tony Abbott takes a backbench seat in parliament for the first time in 20 years after being toppled as Liberal leader by Malcolm Turnbull a month ago.

* Former treasurer Joe Hockey, another casualty of the leadership change, has been given the seat next to his former boss.

* Liberal Andrew Hastie is sworn in as the new Member for Canning, replacing the late Don Randall.

* Turnbull stands firm on the government's border protection policy: "We recognise many would see it as harsh, but it has been proven to be the only way to stop deaths at sea and to ensure that our sovereignty and our borders are safe."

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO SPIN: The Trans-Pacific Partnership which, says Turnbull, gives hope for more jobs, enterprise and innovation. "Our prosperity depends on us embracing the dynamic growth in the global economy."

WHAT LABOR WANTED TO TALK ABOUT: Given the prime minister's admiration for the great achievements of Tony Abbott, why did he overthrow him for the top job just four weeks ago? Cue praise for the man who brought "an end the most dysfunctional government in Australia's history". Prompts an immediate tweet from Labor MP Tim Watts: "I come not to bury the Member for Warringah but to praise him."

WHAT THEY SAID:

"We should never give fanatics the satisfaction of changing the way we live or the way we express ourselves," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on the Parramatta shooting.

"As a father, I cannot imagine the grief and guilt, the horror, of your child, the one you love, choosing to end their own life by murdering an innocent man he didn't even know. Truly it is beyond any parent's comprehension," Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on the same subject.

"I have never had a better straight man than this one, I can tell you," Turnbull taunts opposition employment spokesman Brendan O'Connor.

WHAT THE MICROPHONES DIDN'T PICK UP:

"You fixed Tony didn't you?" Labor MP Rob Mitchell to Innovation Minister Christopher "Mr Fix-It" Pyne.

"Get a room!" Labor's Pat Conroy to Dan Tehan, who praised Trade Minister Andrew Robb for his work on the TPP trade deal.

WHAT THEY TWEETED:

"New school bus ... Abbott, Hockey, Billson, Andrews, Abetz up the back. Shiny newbies down the front. Middle seats along for the ride," Wendy Harmer.

"Looks like there's been a strike on the govt front bench - half of them are missing!" Labor MP Tim Watts.

"It's senate #QT where's Eric? Oh there he is right up the on the backbench!" Labor's Sue Lines makes fun of the dumped government leader in the Senate.