Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I am delighted to answer the question, and I thank the senator for it. I do not know as a general rule, but I can only speak about my 10 years heading a government in New South Wales, during which time I can assure the Senate that there was never a single finding of lack of probity or propriety against me or my ministers—not one. Moreover, there was not even an allegation in all those question times over 10 years—all those question times in the bearpit of the New South Wales parliament, regarded as the toughest in Australia. There was not even from the state coalition in opposition all those years, day after day of question time, a single allegation against me on the grounds of probity or propriety.