Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

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

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Once again, most egregiously.

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

The member for Fadden may proceed.

Stuart Robert (Fadden, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Fairfax have been running a campaign over the last two weeks with three stories alleging my election 10 years ago was contrary to section 44 of the Constitution and that our personal family trust and trustee company were somehow nefariously managed. When I entered parliament 10 years ago our business affairs were appropriately structured to ensure complete compliance, and this of course was tested through party vetting. The sale of our company was then completed almost half a decade ago.

Fairfax also alleges that my father was not running our family company when the directors changed, that I was, even though the trust wasn't doing very much. I will seek to table shortly copies sourced from our chartered accountant with annual trust resolutions signed by the directors, my parents, for multiple years during this period. My father is a sophisticated investor and even today runs a very successful business. Fairfax names him as being 80 years of age—his age is irrelevant, unless Fairfax is trying to make an ageist point about competence.

All of this is based on a single call last night by a Fairfax journalist asking opaque questions to my father, who is currently caring for Mum after she has just been discharged from hospital after a second heart attack. I seek leave to table the aforementioned trust resolutions that show the Fairfax articles are a complete load of rubbish, as are the member for Fenner's politically motivated letters to ASIC. They are based on the same rubbish.

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

Is leave granted to table the documents?

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

Leave is granted.