Federal parliament question time

QUESTION TIME IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

WHAT WE LEARNED:

* Question time is not the same without Malcolm Turnbull who is on a whirlwind tour of Indonesia, Germany, Turkey, the Philippines and Malaysia.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO SPIN:

* The B-team ploughs through regional infrastructure funding, improving the budget bottom line, APEC meetings, cutting red tape, citizenship changes and sport diplomacy.

WHAT LABOR WANTED TO TALK ABOUT:

* Groan! Half-hearted requests to rule out a GST on council rates and TAFE fees and explain how workers who pay no tax will be compensated.

THEY SAID WHAT:

* "I'm feeling the love," Vocational Education Minister Luke Hartsuyker says of a rare question to him from the opposition.

* "You make Lady Macbeth look loyal," Labor MP Nick Champion says to Julie Bishop as the deputy Liberal leader responded to several questions about her role in September's leadership spill.

TOP TWEET:

"The B-team is struggling mightily to engage the government backbench in #qt today," Labor MP Tim Watts.