Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) revelations the Attorney-General acted against the interests of the Commonwealth by entering into a corrupt deal to give $300 million of taxpayer funds to the WA Liberal Government;

(b) the Attorney-General made this decision despite clear legal advice that the $300 million rightfully belonged to the Australian taxpayer;

(c) further revelations that other Ministers in the Prime Minister's Cabinet have been implicated in this scandal, including the:

(i) Minister for Revenue who was named in the WA Parliament for her involvement in the scandal when she was Assistant Treasurer;

(ii) Minister for Social Services who was named in the WA Parliament for his involvement in the scandal while he was Assistant Minister to the now former Prime Minister and Member for Warringah; and

(iii) Treasurer and the Minister for Finance who have direct portfolio interest and who have not yet explained their involvement in the scandal; and

(2) therefore, calls on the Minister representing the Attorney-General, the Minister for Revenue, the Minister for Social Services, the Treasurer and the Prime Minister to attend the House and provide a full account of their offices' involvement in this scandal.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing orders and session orders be suspended as would prevent the Manager of Opposition Business from moving the following motion forthwith:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) revelations the Attorney-General acted against the interests of the Commonwealth by entering into a corrupt deal to give $300 million of taxpayer funds to the WA Liberal Government;

(b) the Attorney-General made this decision despite clear legal advice that the $300 million rightfully belonged to the Australian taxpayer;

(c) further revelations that other Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Cabinet have been implicated in this scandal, including the:

(i) Minister for Revenue who was named in the WA Parliament for her involvement in the scandal when she was Assistant Treasurer;

(ii) Minister for Social Services who was named in the WA Parliament for his involvement in the scandal while he was Assistant Minister to the now former Prime Minister and Member for Warringah; and

(iii) Treasurer and the Minister for Finance who have direct portfolio interest and who have not yet explained their involvement in the scandal; and

(2) therefore, calls on the Minister representing the Attorney-General, the Minister for Revenue, the Minister for Social Services, the Treasurer and the Prime Minister to attend the House and provide a full account of their offices’ involvement in this scandal.

We know that there was corruption. What we do not know yet is how many of them were involved. We do not yet know how many of them were involved, but as you go through the evidence that has been provided already representative after representative, minister after minister have their fingerprints all over this. At the core of what we are talking about is a Liberal government pretending that $300 million of taxpayers money is their personal piggy bank, as though they are allowed to just dole out taxpayers money to any Liberal government they so choose.

The WA Treasurer, Mike Nahan, in the WA parliament made clear they would not have proceeded without the support—

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

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

The question is that the Manager of Opposition Business be no further heard.

Is the motion moved by the Manager of Opposition Business seconded?

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

I second the motion. This Attorney-General is a disgrace. Senator Brandis has failed in his duty to the Commonwealth. He has failed—

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The member for Isaacs will resume his seat. I caution the member for Isaacs. I asked him to resume his seat. He continued to debate the matter without his microphone being on. Not only is it pointless; it is in defiance of the chair. Let me just say that, through the course of this week, it will not happen again. The question is that the member for Isaacs be no longer heard.

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

The question is that the motion moved by the Manager of Opposition Business be agreed to.