Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Sydney for her question. The point that the member for Sydney is making is completely erroneous, and the facts of what she has said do not bear on the actual issues that Senator Birmingham has been dealing with in vocational education and training. The program about which the member for Sydney has been asking questions did not exist when Senator Birmingham visited the North East Vocational College referred to by the member for Sydney. It did not actually exist, in which case the claims that she has been trying to make against Senator Birmingham are not made out, so the premise of the question is quite false. When the North East Vocational College applied for the grants, through the normal processes, the financial viability tests were carried out correctly by the department, and their obligations were fulfilled. Senator Day had absolutely no financial involvement with the North East Vocational College then or now.

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