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

The question is claiming—is making the implication—that somehow the ambassador in Washington intervened in a tender process and had a conflict of interest. That is the gravamen of the question. The truth is, as we pointed out yesterday in the House, Mr Hockey has absolutely no role in the tender process whatsoever. He isn't the decision-maker. For there to be a conflict of interest, there has to be some capacity for Mr Hockey to have been able to influence the tender and be involved in it. But he's not the decision-maker. The decision-maker is the DFAT chief financial officer. That was pointed out yesterday, Mr Speaker.

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