Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

What is not appropriate is that Senator Wong is seeking to write the answers for Minister Cash on the basis of her own misunderstanding of what proper process is. The truth is that a range of claims have been made in the context of a legal action that was taken by the Australian Workers' Union against the Registered Organisations Commission. Senator Cash is appearing as one witness, subpoenaed by the AWU, which is pursuing legal action against the Registered Organisations Commissioner. You are seeking to assert as fact certain claims that have been made in proceedings, which for propriety reasons Senator Cash is not aware of and is not able to verify. She's made that point several times now. She is absolutely at liberty to state, accurately, that in the circumstances it wouldn't be appropriate for her to comment. She will, of course, be appearing at the relevant court tomorrow to answer all these relevant questions. Claims that have been made don't become established facts. They are claims in the context of a process.