Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

I did my best to listen to the contributions, word for word, of Senator Sterle and Senator Collins to this motion as they spoke earlier this afternoon. I thought I captured all of Senator Sterle's assertions of the relevant facts, but it is important in this case to actually outline that those facts do not support the conclusion that those opposite have arrived at. The single, most important fact here is that, upon realising and upon being made aware of it—a fact to which he has admitted—Justice Heydon made it clear he would not address that particular function. He did not actually undertake any activity that is party political.

Let us put this in context as I try not to assign a motive to those with whom I have a different view. If there were some consistency in approach from those opposite, one would not have to do this. I cannot help but refer to some other instances where I have not heard any expression of outrage from those opposite. In these instances the lectures were delivered, the functions were held, the person in question turned up and gave the address. It is the exact opposite of what Justice Heydon has done in this case, when he, rightly, said it would be inappropriate for him to deliver the address. He made that clear and released all the facts immediately upon him becoming aware of them.

On 11 November last year, and fortuitously for the Labor Party I realise that some were discussing the Sir Garfield Barwick Address, His Honour Judge Greg Woods delivered the Frank Walker Memorial Lecture to the New South Wales Society of Labor Lawyers.

Senator Conroy interjecting—