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

My question is, again, to the Prime Minister, who has claimed in this parliament that the approval of the corrupt sports rorts scheme was made on 4 April. How is that consistent with the fact that the Audit Office found that Senator McKenzie wrote to the Prime Minister advising him of projects that she intended to approve on 10 April, prior to her providing the documentation on 11 April? If you weren't in charge, why was the minister asking for your permission?

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

The member is unaware, I think, of the way this program operated.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Members on my left! The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The member for Kingston will leave the chamber under 94(a).

The member for Kingston then left the chamber.

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

As I have advised the House on numerous occasions, the decision-maker in this process was the minister for sport, not the Prime Minister. There was no authorisation provided by me as Prime Minister on the projects. Those authorisations were provided on 4 April, according to the approval of the brief by Senator McKenzie on that date, as advised by Sport Australia.