House debates Questions without Notice

Ministerial Standards

Wednesday, 27 March 2024 House of Representatives

Sussan Ley

Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women

2:01 pm

My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. Can the minister confirm that she verbally abused the secretary of her department, causing the secretary to leave her office in tears?

Clare O'Neil

Clare O'Neil Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Home Affairs

2:02 pm

I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition for her question. The secretary of my department and I have worked together really closely—and, boy, have we got a job to do because we are working together to reform a department that was left in an absolute mess by the Leader of the Opposition.

Look at what we have achieved on this together over the past year that we've been working together: a Cyber Security Strategy for our country which is leading the world, a migration strategy that is fixing the mess left by the Leader of the Opposition in a system that isn't working, a big focus on integrity that is addressing some of the issues that I've raised with the parliament before. We are continuing to work together very constructively.