Question time in federal parliament

QUESTION TIME IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

WHAT WE LEARNT:

* There's a lot Australia can learn from the way New Zealand approaches innovation and investment.

"They have got into crowd funding before us," Malcolm Turnbull said as he briefed MPs on his weekend talks with NZ PM John Key. "They really are a role model. All of us, and I say this very seriously, all of us in Australia should pay a lot more attention to what the New Zealanders do."

* According to independent Clive Palmer the Commonwealth is the number one petitioner of bankruptcy and liquidations in Australia. Why? Because of debts owed to the Australian Tax Office, Turnbull tells him.

* Former Speaker Bronwyn Bishop celebrated her 72nd birthday.

* Bringing the budget back into balance is going to be a very difficult challenge, Turnbull admits, talking about the fiscal mess the first Rudd government created following the global financial crisis with hundreds of millions spent on pink batts and school halls.

* The government won't be supporting Labor's plan to tighten superannuation tax concessions for high-income earners but in the same breath the PM says the government will consider "all suggestions, all ideas of superannuation and tax".

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO SPIN

Innovation, innovation, innovation. The prime minister talked about it, so too did the foreign minister as she recalled her recent US trip and discussions with Australians working there. "Their suggestions ranged from changes to the education sector, more flexibility in workplace relations, easier access to venture capital and a culture of risk taking."

WHAT LABOR DEFINITELY DID NO WANT TO TALK ABOUT: The prime minister's financial investments in the Cayman Islands. A certain opinion poll published on Monday, showing two out of three voters prefer Turnbull as PM, knocked dead last week's strategy.

WHAT THEY SAID:

"The worse thing a Labor government could do is do something. If they did nothing, they would minimise the damage," Treasurer Scott Morrison takes a swipe.

"They have a small attitude about the aspirations of Australians. A very small attitude. They think the answers to the count trace economic challenges is to jump into bed and pull the doona over your head," Morrison about Labor's strategy to quiz the PM about his finances.

"I can understand why they don't want the minister for the cities to come near the table," Labor frontbencher Tony Burke pokes fun at Jamie Briggs.

"Here we have the Member for Grayndler (Anthony Albanese) trying to put his plaque on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Tower of Babel, how many more projects does he think he built?" Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss shows rare humour.

WHAT THE MICROPHONES DIDN'T PICK UP:

"He built Parliament House! Thanks for the house," - Liberal frontbencher Josh Frydenberg continues the joke about Albanese.

"How many times have you mentioned Blackmores? You should start wearing sponsor badges," Labor MP Ed Husic to Industry Minister Christopher Pyne.

TWEETED:

@TurnbullMalcolm obviously not a keen follower of the Rugby World Cup. Just tells #QT NZ are leading the world. Umm Go #Wallabies." Labor MP Stephen Jones.

"I want Mr Turnbull to say "my distinguished table-dancing predecessor", Labor's Graham Perrett on what might or might not have happened on an Italian marble table in the cabinet ante-room damaged on the night Tony Abbott was toppled.

"It is being noted that Clive Palmer seems to have a renewed interest in bankruptcy law," David Crowe.

"Scott Morrison keeps riffing on 'failure to launch' in #qt - a telling self-assessment of his start as Treasurer," Labor MP Andrew Giles.