Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Western Australian Treasurer has told his parliament that the agreement was with the then Treasurer, the Hon. Joe Hockey. I refer to this letter which details an agreement between the federal government and the state Liberal government. Does the Prime Minister seriously expect the Australian people to believe that there was no agreement between the federal and Western Australian governments on the WA kickback scandal?

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Members on my right; members on both sides. Before I call the Prime Minister: obviously, I am allowing the question, but it was not particularly clear what the Leader of the Opposition was referring to at the start when he talked about an agreement. But the question is in order, and the Prime Minister has the call.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition has not simply taken leave of his senses; he has taken leave of reality. The Attorney-General in the Senate set out in a very detailed statement all of the correspondence that relates to this. He has made it perfectly clear what occurred.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The member for Isaacs.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

All of the issues are dealt with there. This is a matter where there was a case determined in the High Court—and, I might say, fairly predictably—on section 109 of the Constitution and resolved, consistent with that section, in favour of the federal legislation. The conspiracy theories and the falsehoods that are now being spread by the opposition are all at one with their general approach. Earlier today, before the Attorney-General had even got through the statement he was making to the Senate, the opposition were on their feet calling for him to be sacked, and leading among them, of course, was the shadow Attorney-General. I hope a future Labor government does not ever appoint him to the bench. He will dispense with the trial and go straight to the execution. There will be no need for any rule of law or due process.

We are seeing now the absolute embodiment of post-truth politics and falsehoods from the Leader of the Opposition. We saw him telling falsehoods last week about the NBN, we saw him scandalously and shamefully stirring up racial dissent and racial hatred by misrepresenting the remarks of the immigration minister and now we see him talking about kickbacks. He is talking about bribery. And what is he now doing? He is accusing the Attorney-General of some crime. His imagination is as boundless as his recklessness when it comes to dealing with the truth. The Leader of the Opposition cannot be trusted on any matter of fact. Whether his statements are accurate or not is entirely a matter of coincidence. He does not care whether what he is saying is true or not. Again and again he will make things up. He will conjure up conspiracies. He has no regard for the facts. A leader, or would-be leader, who has no regard for the facts, has no respect for the people.

Mr Rob Mitchell interjecting—

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

Ms Keay interjecting—

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

The member for McEwen! The member for Isaacs I have asked to cease interjecting, and the member for Braddon will as well.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to table the document from the Treasurer to Mike Nahan, the Treasurer of Western Australia and the Hansard of the Western Australian parliament, where the Treasurer of Western Australia confirms there was an agreement between the two governments.

Leave not granted.