Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I had a look at the correspondence, Senator. That is how I know. The correspondence between former Treasurer Joe Hockey and his WA counterpart, Dr Nahan, clearly does not constitute that an agreement or understanding was arrived at between the Commonwealth and the Western Australian government. Indeed, despite Labor finger-pointing, Dr Nahan has not in fact cited any specific agreement. The Labor Party speak of an arrangement, but where is this arrangement supposed to be recorded? Is there a written agreement between the Commonwealth and Western Australia? No, there is not. Are there perhaps public statements by Mr Hockey or any other Commonwealth minister? No, not that the Labor Party can point to. And what about in the correspondence? No, there is nothing there either. There was no deal. There was no arrangement. There was no understanding.

The Attorney-General said in his statement that he took countercompeting arguments, that he listened to and tested settlement proposals and then approved or instructed the lodgement of the appropriate documents within the deadline and approved the making of submissions completely in accordance with the legal advice he had received. It is clear from the Attorney-General's statement that he acted properly at all times. Everything was done when it needed to be done and in accordance with advice as well as established legal processes. The claim that there was an agreement between the Commonwealth and WA is wrong. The claim that the Attorney-General ignored the Constitution and instructed the Solicitor-General to do so is wrong. In short, just about everything the Labor Party and the Greens have said on this issue is wrong.

What skulduggery by the opposition. Mark Dreyfus and Bill Shorten have significantly overreached and acted recklessly in their assertions and accusations, and in this chamber Labor have picked up their union issued and approved pitchforks and continued this witch-hunt. Opportunism abounds here. Accuracy is forsaken for headlines. This is an opposition that would rather be quotable than be credible. Protocol is subordinated to steal headlines in a week that is not going your way. This government is delivering. (Time expired)