Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

Today, in question time, the Prime Minister repeated the suggestion that I was somehow responsible for not getting a briefing from Lieutenant General Frewen over June or early July. That is not correct. The facts are these: on 23 June, my office received an email from Nigel Blunden, offering to have a briefing with Lieutenant General Frewen about his role as head of Operation COVID Shield. On 25 June, just two days later, my office responded: 'Thanks very much, Nigel. Just checking this is being coordinated through the minister's office or the department. My contact details are below.' Later that day, on 25 June, we received an email from Mr Blunden, saying: 'We would be proposing to coordinate through the department. I've copied in Leanne Ringwood, who overseas MP engagement, and we will coordinate with you re timing.' From the director of the communications team in the department, also on 25 June, there was an email, 'Thanks, Nigel. Sandra and the team will reach out to you next week to start pulling this together.' That was on 25 June. On 20 July—and there was no contact between 25 June and 20 July—we received an email, again from this person in the department, cc'ing in Mr Blunden, to my office: 'I just wanted to touch base with you on planning for this. Are you able to provide a couple of options on days and times that would work for a briefing when sitting resumes on 3 August? We can then lock in the CMO and JJ to provide the briefing.' Following that, there was correspondence about timings from my office on Monday 2 August: 'I am hopeful one of the following times will suit the COVID-19 taskforce principals: tomorrow, Tuesday 3 August at 11.30 or 3.30 pm; Thursday at 4.00 pm.' We received back an email from the minister's chief of staff, saying to my diary secretary: 'Hi. Let's lock in 4.00 pm on Thursday. Invite to follow.'

They're the facts. This should not be an issue of politicisation or ongoing statements from the Prime Minister that he knows are not true. The Prime Minister also knows that on a range of issues relating to national security, which we don't discuss in this chamber, I have received briefings at very short notice in recent times. The Prime Minister said in question time today that I couldn't be bothered travelling to Canberra. He knows full well that I have been basing myself in Canberra, have been here regularly and have been in contact with him to organise various briefings.

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