George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

No, it is not a policy, Senator Macdonald. It is interesting. So, notwithstanding that it is not even the policy of Senator Brown's party that there should be tax deductible status, he seeks through a submission he has lodged with the media inquiry to secure tax deductible status of which the principal beneficiary, indeed the only known beneficiary, will be his own benefactor. If the start-up cost is $2 million to $3 million for this enterprise then the value of the tax deduction will be approximately one-third of that; in other words, up to $1 million.

As I said before, let those who hear this debate or read the Hansard draw the dots for themselves. Senator Brown secures the biggest political donation in Australian history from Mr Graeme Wood and now he seeks to favour Mr Graeme Wood by making a submission to the media inquiry which, were it to be approved, were it to be adopted by the government, would be worth up to a million dollars to his own benefactor.

I think next time we hear from Senator Brown about integrity we will listen with an even more cynical ear, just as when we hear from Senator Brown about parliamentary standards and the role of the Senate, after the disgrace of his performance this morning, we will be even more cynical—if it were possible to be more cynical. The one person who cannot speak about integrity is Senator Bob Brown. (Time expired)