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

Firstly, I do not accept that—I'm not aware that the Prime Minister has made all of the comments that Senator Wong has attributed to him. But let me assist the Senate by referring to a statement that the Prime Minister is making to the House of Representatives, if I may.

Yesterday the Prime Minister informed the House on four separate occasions that he would be contacting and speaking with the New South Wales Police Force regarding the matters raised for the first time in question time by the Leader of the Opposition. The purpose of his call was to fulfil his undertaking to the House and to discharge his responsibility under the Statement of Ministerial Standards to inform himself of the nature, substance and instigation of the investigation underway. He does not intend to, and neither should the Prime Minister, base serious assessments of his duties under the Statement of Ministerial Standards on media reports or comments made by the Labor Party. The commissioner considered it appropriate to inform him on the nature, substance and instigation of the investigation and was also advised of his subsequent statement to the House, and the Prime Minister of course advised the House that this was his intention in order to satisfy responsibilities, and he subsequently informed the House.

But let's be very clear: the implication of what the Labor Party is suggesting is that, based on a politically motivated letter from a political opponent to the police, somehow the Prime Minister should immediately terminate—