Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Don't take my word for the fact that the misleading is there and is clear for all to see; take the analysis that has been repeated time and time again across the press gallery. Last night David Crowe was crowned as the latest press gallery journalist of the year. What has he written? Quote: 'Katy Gallagher misled parliament'. A further quote is 'Gallagher's own words show how she misled a Senate committee in June 2021'. Phillip Coorey, from the Financial Reviewfinance minister Katy Gallagher was exposed 'as misleading parliament'. Indeed, I can quote some of the longest serving journalists who have covered politics in this country. Paul Kelly—quote: 'It is obvious Gallagher misled the parliament.' How about Michelle Grattan, then? Gallagher's claim 'was wrong, and therefore misled parliament'. Journalist after journalist and observer after observer have all come to the same conclusion based on the same facts, and that conclusion is that Senator Gallagher misled this parliament.

Why does this matter? As Senator Gallagher herself said to the Senate, amongst the many hundreds of questions that she sought to ask over this matter—she said to Senator Reynolds: 'You have a responsibility to the Senate.' Senator Gallagher, you too have a responsibility to the Senate, and what is that responsibility—

Honourable senators interjecting—