Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) Sport Australia has told the Parliament today that it provided a brief to Senator McKenzie on 3 April 2019 recommending 245 sports projects be approved;

(b) Senator McKenzie wrote to the Prime Minister on 10 April, the day before he called the election, attaching a spreadsheet with projects she intended to approve by electorate, including party details;

(c) on 11 April, the day the Prime Minister called the election, Senator McKenzie provided a brief to Sport Australia dated 4 April approving 228 projects for funding;

(d) 73 per cent of projects approved by Senator McKenzie were not recommended by Sport Australia;

(e) Sport Australia received the approved sports rorts list from Senator McKenzie after the election had been called and after caretaker conventions had commenced;

(f) the Government approved a $50,000 grant to the Sans Souci Football Club in the Prime Minister's own electorate despite the fact the project had already been built, had already been officially opened and was therefore ineligible for funding; and

(g) the Prime Minister is the master chef of cooking the books;

(2) declares the Prime Minister has repeatedly misled the Parliament and he should have the integrity to correct the record as required by House practice; and

(3) calls on the Prime Minister to provide a full and frank account as to why he has used taxpayer money to advance his own Government's partisan political interests.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the Opposition from moving the following motion immediately—That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) Sport Australia has told the Parliament today that it provided a brief to Senator McKenzie on 3 April 2019 recommending 245 sports projects be approved;

(b) Senator McKenzie wrote to the Prime Minister on 10 April, the day before he called the election, attaching a spreadsheet with projects she intended to approve by electorate, including party details;

(c) on 11 April, the day the Prime Minister called the election, Senator McKenzie provided a brief to Sport Australia dated 4 April approving 228 projects for funding;

(d) 73 per cent of projects approved by Senator McKenzie were not recommended by Sport Australia;

(e) Sport Australia received the approved sports rorts list from Senator McKenzie after the election had been called and after caretaker conventions had commenced;

(f) the Government approved a $50,000 grant to the Sans Souci Football Club in the Prime Minister's own electorate despite the fact the project had already been built, had already been officially opened and was therefore ineligible for funding; and

(g) the Prime Minister is the master chef of cooking the books;

(2) declares the Prime Minister has repeatedly misled the Parliament and he should have the integrity to correct the record as required by House practice; and

(3) calls on the Prime Minister to provide a full and frank account as to why he has used taxpayer money to advance his own Government's partisan political interests.

The fact is that this government is showing they can't even prepare to defend—

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) 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 member for Grayndler be no longer heard.

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

Is the motion seconded?

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

I second the motion. All roads lead to the Prime Minister's Office. He was in this up to his neck.

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) 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.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

His fingerprints are all over it—backdated briefs, coloured spread sheets—

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the question be put.

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

The question is that the question be put.

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

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper and advise that the Minister for Health and I will shortly be making an announcement regarding the Australian health sector emergency response plan for the coronavirus.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the Prime Minister's statement to the parliament that there is about to be an announcement, through you, Mr Speaker, I would request that, given the opposition—myself and the shadow health minister—have at all times sought to be bipartisan on the coronavirus issue, decency requires there actually be a briefing to the opposition rather than the Prime Minister just standing up and making a statement to try to distract from this sports rorts debacle before he marches out of the parliament.

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

I'll just say to the Leader of the Opposition that it's not within my purview to demand members or ministers to do anything, but the Leader of the Opposition has made his point, and I notice that the Deputy Leader of the House is here, so he's made his point.