Question time in federal parliament

QUESTION TIME IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

WHAT WE LEARNT:

* The social security spend is $154 billion a year - of which family tax benefits make up about $20 billion - and growing.

* Within 11 years 95 per cent of Australian exports will enter China duty free.

* The Turnbull government will pursue changes to taxpayer-funded paid parental leave to address "double-dipping" by those also getting payments from their employer - including, the government's own public servants.

* The first shipment of live Australian cattle has arrived in China, Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce announced - provoking a point of order from independent MP Andrew Wilkie on the grounds of "systemic animal cruelty".

* The consequence of a majority yes vote in a plebiscite will be that same-sex marriage will be legal in Australia, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said when asked whether coalition MPs would be bound by that result.

* Enabling legislation for the Australia-China free trade agreement will clear the House of Reps on Thursday morning.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO SPIN: "A great week for Australia," the PM proclaims, citing the China free-trade deal "on foot in this parliament", following agreement between the coalition and Labor; the government's response to the Murray Review on the financial system; a revised package of family tax benefit changes.

WHAT LABOR WANTED TO TALK ABOUT: The winners and losers out of planned government changes to family tax benefits, such as grandparent carers with a 15-year-old in their care who will be about $2500 a year worse off.

WHAT THEY SAID:

"Why is the government investing in 20th century copper when Australia really needs a 21st century national broadband network?" Opposition Leader Bill Shorten asks the PM, aka the former communications minister.

"I know it's Back to the Future Day but ..." Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese interrupts the Turnbull answer.

"Judy Garland, the member for Jagajaga, has told us you have to pay for this somewhere over the rainbow, way up high, there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby," Treasurer Scott Morrison steals a line or two from a Wizard of Oz classic to lampoon Labor's Jenny Macklin

WHAT THE MICROPHONES DIDN'T PICK UP:

"Thank you for finishing early" Labor MP Ed Husic on Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss wrapping up his answer ahead of time.

TWEETED:

"Lecture time," Labor MP Andrew Giles says of a Turnbull answer.

"It is official - The former treasurer is no longer in the house - poor people can now resume driving their cars," Labor MP Joanne Ryan.

"I'll treat it as a polite request for information": Mal now channels his inner Siri to provide answers in #qt," Labor MP Ed Husic.

"Mr Turnbull couldn't be more clueless if he was Alicia Silverstone," Labor's Terri Butler.