Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

I do reject the premise of at least aspects of the question in terms of the use of the word 'doctored'. They were clearly incorrect, as Minister Taylor has acknowledged in his apology to the Lord Mayor of Sydney. They were clearly incorrect, and he has acknowledged that.

In terms of awareness of the incidence, I will have to check but I'm pretty sure that I became aware of it when it became a news story, Senator Watt. That would be when my awareness was enlivened. I would have been briefed before appearing either here or at estimates in relation to the handling of the matter, but those briefings would have occurred subsequent to Mr Taylor's public statements on the matter.