Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Special Minister of State. I refer to the minister's previous answers and I refer to comments made by James Ashby in today's Australian:

'So I went home and pulled the copy of the diary out of my cupboard, took some pictures of the relevant dates and sent them to Mal. He couldn't read them and texted me and asked if I could send them again … '

Did the minister receive those unauthorised copies of the former Speaker's diary? Is conduct of this nature consistent with the standard this government applies to the minister's portfolio?

Mal Brough (Fisher, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, for the shadow minister's I am not quite sure what—contemplation? To the question 'did I receive any further correspondence of any kind from Mr Ashby', the answer is no.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Unauthorised copies.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Isaacs is warned!

Mal Brough (Fisher, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Call it whatever you like. I refer the shadow Attorney-General to a radio interview today by Alan Jones on 2GB of Mr James Ashby, where Mr Jones asked:

Did Mal Brough ever ask you for a copy of Slipper's diaries?

JAMES ASHBY: No …