Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Ellison, Minister for Human Services. Does the minister recall misleading Senate estimates hearings on 24 May 2007, when he clearly stated he was not a shareholder minister for Health Services Australia? Wasn’t the minister forced to correct the record after the hearing had closed, admitting that he has been a shareholder in HSA since early 2005? Wasn’t this denial in the context of a discussion with the managing director of HSA over the granting of $3.75 million worth in contracts to a former colleague of his, without any tender process? Wasn’t the managing director also forced to correct the record after the hearing over claims he made about granting these contracts? Given the wrong and misleading evidence presented to the hearing, which acted to deflect further questioning, will the minister now commit to appearing before a reconvened estimates hearing this fortnight to allow the issue to be properly pursued?