Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Resources and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

I have no intention of responding to media speculation about what other ministers may or may not have said. Perhaps the member for Groom believes everything in the media, I certainly do not. But I do believe the media when they say he is a good bloke. They are right on that, but I am not sure they are always right about the internal workings of government.

I have been engaged in discussions with companies both big and small. Strange, but I approach discussions on the basis that what is discussed in a room stays in the room. That is why companies have always been able to have discussions with me. Just as the member for Groom, as a former minister, did, I have access to a significant amount of confidential and commercial-in-confidence material. I do not particularly care how big or small companies are that talk to me, I have no intentions of talking publicly about what is discussed with me.

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