Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

It is not possible for me to answer hypothetical questions. I am not sure that Senator Fielding is actually asserting that there is some ASIC investigation about which none of us seem to know. He is not actually saying that; he is saying ‘if’. I am not prepared to answer any hypothetical. I am certainly not aware of any ASIC examination of this matter. We are properly undertaking the regulatory reviews of this matter through the Foreign Investment Review Board, under the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act and of course through the ACCC inquiry into the issues associated with Macquarie Bank’s investment in the Sydney airport and its involvement in the consortium that seeks to purchase Qantas. I am not going to answer a hypothetical, but I will pursue the matter of ASIC’s role—(Time expired)