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

My question is again to the Minister for Social Services. I refer to the minister's previous answer. The WA Treasurer told his parliament:

We contacted the then Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Hon Christian Porter, who knows a lot about this issue.

…   …   …   

We put together the draft bill. We showed it to him and we showed it to the commonwealth. We got a letter from the commonwealth saying that it supported the action. We would not have proceeded without that support.

Why does the WA government provide a different account to what the minister just provided? Can the minister now outline his entire involvement in the Bell Group matter, which is the subject matter of his letter?

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for the question. Obviously, I have noted comments that have been made publicly by the Western Australian Treasurer, Mike Nahan. Obviously, when this matter became a matter of public note I searched my own recollection and cross referenced that with my diary. My absolute best recollection, which is supported by my recourse to my diary, is that there was a meeting with the Western Australia Treasurer, Mike Nahan, on 5 February 2015. We discussed a range of issues. I meet with Mike Nahan somewhat often. My recollection is that at that meeting he noted that the WA government was considering a legislative course to resolve the Bell litigation.

One month later, on 18 March 2015, at this person's request I met with Mr Rod Whithear here at Parliament House. He is the managing director of the Insurance Commission of WA. At that meeting he provided me with an overview of the circumstances pursuant to which the WA government was considering a proposed legislative course to resolve the Bell litigation. And, again, having cross referenced my own memory with a search of my diary, my best recollection is that I did not receive any further information or have any further meeting specifically regarding the Bell legislation until the receipt of that email—that, in my previous question, I have described—on 2 March 2016.

On 2 March 2016 my office received the email that I have described from the Western Australian State Solicitor's Office. Those circumstances have been the subject of an accurate summary by the Attorney-General, George Brandis, and the subject of the response of my last answer. And I just note further than, as I indicated in my conversation with Senator Brandis on 3 March 2016, I have not been involved in any discussions with Mr Hockey's office and Western Australian ministers.

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You have with a lot of other people.

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

The member for Jagajaga is now warned.