Question time in federal parliament

QUESTION TIME IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT

WHAT WE LEARNED

* Multi-billion-dollar private health insurers are only making 5.5 per cent profit on their policies.

* 99 per cent of people on welfare won't be worse off under the government's proposed changes.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO SPIN

* Bill Shorten wants to put coal workers out of a job and is happy to accept money from millionaires for a "nice holiday on the Barrier Reef".

WHAT LABOR WANTED TO TALK ABOUT

* Why the prime minister is hiking taxes on workers and cutting penalty rates while giving companies a $65 billion tax cut.

THEY SAID WHAT

"I thank the very popular member for Flynn." - Nationals leader Michael McCormack praises low-profile Queensland backbencher Ken O'Dowd.

"This guy is a lot more blue steel than he is blue-collar." - Minister Steve Ciobo on Bill Shorten's GQ interview photograph.

"We know on a regular basis he is sipping Cristal at the homes of billionaires around the country." - Minister Peter Dutton on Shorten.

"I am not going to keep continuing warning members on props only to be defied within 10 seconds." - Speaker Tony Smith continually warns ministers about props, without booting them.

"Not a single new federally funded major infrastructure project has been commenced (in Tasmania) under either the Abbott-Joyce, Turnbull-Joyce or the Turnbull-McCormack governments." - Labor's Anthony Albanese, noting the coalition leadership revolving door.

TWEETED

@SwannyQLD Real wages are flatlining and all Turnbull can think to do is administer a sugar hit to the top end of town

@DarrenChesterMP Surely my mate Ken 'Hollywood' O'Dowd will get another question today!

@keithjpitt My good friend & colleague @KenODowdMP cult status continues in Question time. Which tv show next for Ken? (Asking for a friend)