Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to the fact that Mr Brian Burke is the disgraced former Labor Premier of Western Australia and a convicted criminal. Does the Prime Minister endorse the statement of his foreign minister that he has not had a conversation with Brian Burke in a decade and a half and he wished that ‘more people had followed that example’?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. As I have said on a number of occasions, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight I would not have met with Mr Burke. As I have said on many occasions, I got that wrong. And, as I have said on many occasions, had I been aware of what subsequently became apparent through the ACCC inquiry, I would not have met him. As for the member for Perth’s comments, he of course had the benefit of particular insights in the West. I recognise his better insight on these questions. I should have had that insight myself at the time. I accept full responsibility for my actions.