Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The point that I am making is that therefore the statements made by the member for Dobell were misleading, and that is why it is a matter of privilege. The Leader of the House should have heard what I was going on to say: the member for Dobell omitted to say that the New South Wales police also said that they were transferring the file for assessment by the Victorian police and that the Victorian police themselves subsequently announced a full investigation, which is ongoing.

He also omitted to say that the New South Wales police then subsequently announced their own investigation—Strike Force Carnarvon—which is ongoing. He also stated that the Fair Work Australia findings as to electoral expenditure have been debunked, when in fact the AEC made findings as to whether specific payments were under the reporting threshold or had been disclosed—not whether they had been properly authorised by the union.

(7): The claims and the explanations which the member made in his statement are either inconsistent with or were not raised by him when he was interviewed by Michael Smith on 1 August 2011. If the explanations he offered the House and to Laurie Oakes are true why did he not mention them almost a year ago? His new explanation has all the hallmarks of recent invention.

Further, if all this explanatory material exists why has the member refused to cooperate with New South Wales and Victoria police?

Government members interjecting—

I am getting to my conclusion, Madam Deputy Speaker. The member's statement concentrated almost entirely on the brothel and escort service allegations—

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