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 Brian Burke’s offer on 11 October 2005 and again on 22 November 2005 to organise a journalists dinner with the Prime Minister. I ask the Prime Minister: why was he actively involved in making arrangements for this dinner, including adding his staff member Mr Alister Jordan? Why did the Prime Minister tell Mr Burke on 29 November—after he had been sent a guest list—that ‘this looks great’? Doesn’t this directly contradict his statement to the Australian people on 1 March 2007:

… my recollection is that I found out that arrangements had been put in place, that’s when I became concerned, that’s when I took action …

Prime Minister, on which occasion were you telling the truth?

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. When the invitation was extended by Mr Burke for the dinner in question, you are right: initially, I said yes. Then, subsequent to that, I became progressively uneasy about it. I then said no and communicated that by the means contained and outlined in the emails concerned. As I said in my remarks in response to the Leader of the Opposition’s first question, this, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, is something that I would have preferred not to have done. I did so. It was a mistake, and I have accepted full responsibility for it.