John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition may interject as often as he likes, but nothing can alter the fact that the day we decided to give the powers of a royal commissioner to Mr Cole was the day we set up the circumstances where we got to the bottom of what really happened. The power of Mr Cole to demand the production of documents was the key to finding out what really happened.

I reject the censure motion moved by the Leader of the Opposition. I take this opportunity to place on record my total support for and confidence in the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, both of whose reputations have been unreasonably traduced by the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Griffith. Attack them for what they believe in, but do not baselessly attack their integrity! (Time expired)

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