Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

probably the largest that we have ever seen. The second thing is that there is a huge effort to have it covered up. During the estimates process I asked some senior public servants if we could have a list of the election commitments that were being administered by their department. That was a very straightforward question. To be quite frank, I was embarrassed for the senior public servants who had to fend off these questions. And I say to the Labor Party: the contempt that the public service must start to feel when they are asked to take part in a Labor Party cover-up should not be underestimated. You cannot treat people in this fashion. You cannot ask senior public servants—secretaries of departments—to attempt to obfuscate and to pretend that they have not got lists of the election commitments which they are being asked to administer. It is not right to require that of senior people in the public service. I have to say that it is yet another example of how Labor is failing in its relations with the Australian Public Service.

My argument is simply this: all of us know that pork-barrelling occurred to an extraordinary extent during the last election. We know it occurred in the area of sports. I have a list here which I have been prevented by Senator Wortley from tabling. I do not want Senator Wortley to take part in a cover-up. That would be most unfortunate. I do think that it is important that the public know precisely what has occurred under the Labor Party, and I make it very clear to the chamber that I have no doubt that this matter is going to be vigorously pursued by my colleagues in the days, the weeks and the months to come.