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

I would like to add to answers I gave to Senator Wong and Senator Evans in relation to the issue of a Liberal Party function at Kirribilli House. I refer to the Australian Electoral Commission’s media statement of today in which the AEC says that it is examining if any potential disclosure obligation exists under the Commonwealth Electoral Act in relation to a function hosted by the Prime Minister at Kirribilli House. The AEC has noted suggestions that the government may have attempted to silence or constrain the AEC responses to the media on this issue. The Electoral Commissioner, Mr Ian Campbell, said today, and I quote:

The AEC takes its integrity and independence very seriously and I want to make it quite clear that no attempt was made by the government or anybody else to influence the AEC in its response to this issue. Contrary to some media reports, the AEC Director of Funding and Disclosure, Mr Kevin Bodel, was not asked by the AEC or the government to shut up regarding these matters.