Question time in federal parliament

QUESTION TIME IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

WHAT WE LEARNED

* Chickpea exports to India grew by 90 per cent in 2016/17, Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce advised MPs.

* Just under 100 of the asylum seekers on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea have applied for packages to return to their home country, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton revealed.

* Former Labor Speaker Harry Jenkins, dumped by Julia Gillard for the ill-fated Peter Slipper, is still a favourite with MPs from all sides of politics judging by the "hear, hear" response to his formal recognition from the chair.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO SPIN

It's an indication of how out of touch Labor MPs are, that they are not prepared to support us in keeping energy affordable and reliable.

WHAT LABOR WANTED TO TALK ABOUT

Does the government honestly expect households in Sydney to believe their power bills have gone down by more than $470 since 2013?

THEY SAID WHAT?

"I'm not sure how many days, but I congratulate the leader of the opposition on the anniversary of having knifed two former prime ministers, Julia Gillard Kevin Rudd." - Dutton has a dig after Bill Shorten sarcastically noted it had been two years since Malcolm Turnbull rolled Tony Abbott.

"Reflections on the deputy prime minister should be a direct motion." - Opposition frontbencher Tony Burke interrupts Dutton's "dangerous non-citizens" rant.

TWEETED

@andrewwgilesmp: Hey PM, shouting about love and compassion isn't a great way to demonstrate either. What a shameful display.