Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question again is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I refer to his answer to my last question, when he referred me to answers delivered by his officials to Senate estimates. Will the minister confirm that in fact his officials have been gagged in Senate estimates when asked questions on this matter? Will he confirm that the reason which officials gave for not answering questions on this matter was that these matters were being handled by the Cole inquiry? Minister, why have you once again failed to tell this parliament the truth when you know that the Cole inquiry has no powers to investigate companies which are not mentioned in the Volcker inquiry?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Griffith will rephrase that question.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I asked why he had not told the truth. It is a matter for the minister to respond as to whether or not he has.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Either the member for Griffith will rephrase the question or I will rule it out of order.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You find the truth just a huge joke, don’t you, Mr Downer? Will the minister, on the basis of his answer to the last question posed to him in this parliament, stand up and confirm that his officials have been gagged in Senate estimates on this and that the Cole inquiry has no powers whatsoever to investigate these matters?

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First of all, the honourable member asked me about the truth and I think I demonstrated in answer to my question about the ONA that the member for Griffith had indeed not been telling the truth about the ONA. The first thing is that the member for Griffith—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister made an allegation about the member for Griffith which he will withdraw.

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw, Mr Speaker. The second point that I would make is that this is a matter that is being investigated by the Australian Federal Police. The Federal Police have asked—

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order: on the question of relevance—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has only just begun his answer. He is in order.

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The second point I would make is that the Australian Federal Police are investigating these matters, and they obviously do not want their investigation compromised and have asked for it not to be compromised. I would have thought there were two things about this. First of all, nobody is guilty of anything until they have been charged and convicted. All this is is a police investigation—

Kelly Hoare (Charlton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Hoare interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Charlton will remove herself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Charlton then left the chamber.

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The second thing is that it is the right thing to do, if there are concerns, to have the police investigate those things and that is it. If the Labor Party wants to compromise the investigation but apparently wants the truth to come out—

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Rudd interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Griffith is warned!

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

those two things do not stack up. If you want these issues dealt with and resolved, they should be done so following due process in order that the investigation can be fully effective. There is no point in compromising the investigation just so you can make some childish party-political point. I would say to the Labor Party on these issues: when it comes to telling the truth—

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Gillard interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Lalor is on thin ice!

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

there is a long record over the last 12 months of some egregiously dishonest things having been said by the Leader of the Opposition—and indeed the member for Griffith—and due process should be followed. And you would think that somebody who wants to be the Prime Minister of Australia would lead a political party that wanted to follow due process, but apparently not.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Beazley interjecting

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that reference to me.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw ‘Deal with this idiot.’

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will withdraw without reservation.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, what do you want me to withdraw—‘this idiot’?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will withdraw.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw ‘this idiot’.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, just withdraw.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw, Mr Speaker.