Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs (House)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that his government has awarded $80,000 to set up and run private luxury-resort-style quarantine facilities? Can the Prime Minister confirm that this quarantine business is being run out of his best mate's lobbying firm, based at the Hotel Realm in Canberra?

Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I start by saying that the Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs has been questioned about this particular issue twice at Senate estimates—once in October and the second time just a week ago. There have been a range of questions put to the secretary. The secretary was very clear. I will actually quote from what Secretary Pezzullo said at Senate estimates. He said, 'It had nothing to do with ministers, their staff or ministerial officers.' He was very clear. And very significantly more, I would invite those people who have the questions in relation to this matter to look at the Senate estimates transcript, because it makes it abundantly clear that any such contract was entered into directly by the Department of Home Affairs. It was done without my knowledge. The first I became aware of it was following the contract having been finalised.

We make no apology for the fact that we have looked at what was best—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We make no apologies as a government that we did all that we possibly could to make sure that Australians were as protected as they possibly could be during this pandemic. The transcript from Senate estimates clearly sets out what the arrangements were in relation to this contract.