Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister confirm that, late on the afternoon of 5 February 2014, her office made no fewer than four telephone calls to her department demanding that the health star-rating system website be taken down? Can the minister advise whether those calls were made before or after the CEO of the Australian Food and Grocery Council telephoned the minister's office complaining about the publication of the website?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would enlighten the Senate that these issues were canvassed at length during the Senate estimates process. I realise not everybody was able to watch the three hours—at least—of Senate questioning from Senators Faulkner and Wong at the Senate estimates process. I indicate to the chamber that there were a number of conversations that my office and I had with the department around taking down the website. This has been canvassed at length, as the senator would well know. The reasons for taking down that website are also well known and have been canvassed at length. I would refer the senator to any number of entries in the Hansard

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order about relevance. It was quite a specific question about timing: was it before the process or after? I ask you to draw the minister's attention to the question.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am listening to the minister's answer closely. The minister is addressing the question. I cannot tell the minister how to answer the question. The minister still has one minute and three seconds remaining to address the question.

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would just inform the Senate again of the reasons for taking down the website. The cost-benefit analysis was not completed. The oversight advisory committee—

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! This is not a time to debate the issue. There are procedures here. You stand and take a point of order.

Senator Wong interjecting—

Order! Senator Moore is on her feet seeking to take a point of order, Senator Wong. Senator Moore.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, my point of order is on relevance. We want not a rehash of what happened but the timing: was it before or after?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister still has 49 seconds, and I do draw the minister's attention to the question.

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Secondly, the oversight advisory committee had yet to complete the advice to the forum about the anomalies.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order, again specifically on relevance: the question has been asked. The minister has had her attention drawn to the question. The question is: before or after?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I have said before, I cannot instruct the minister or tell the minister how to answer the question. I did draw to the minister's attention, at the 49-second mark of time remaining in this answer, to the need to address the question. The minister now has 40 seconds and I draw the minister's attention to the question.

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thirdly, the communication and education strategy that would need to go with the launch of any website had not been completed. I directed the website—

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, again, on a point of order on relevance: there are now 28 seconds remaining, and the question was specifically, as you had drawn the minister's attention to: before or after?

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on the point of order: clearly, the Labor Party are not interested in asking questions. They just want to waste time with points of order. But, clearly, the minister was actually going through the process, all of which she went through ad infinitum at the estimates, when Senator Wong could not bother to or did not have the intelligence to get—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not a point of order.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I'm answering the point of order that was raised.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, no. That is not necessary.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am responding to it.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is not a debating time, Senator Macdonald, and you are—

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, I'm responding on why it is not a point of order—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

well aware of that. There is no point of order on your part, Senator Macdonald.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! I have already said now three times I cannot instruct the minister or tell the minister how to answer the question. The minister still has 28 seconds remaining and I have drawn to the minister's attention now on two previous occasions the need to address the question. The minister has 28 seconds remaining to address the question.

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So it was my decision, and mine alone, to remove the website. The actual timing of any phone call in my office—I do not have that information to hand.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Who did the CEO of the Australian Food and Grocery Council speak to when he called the minister's office to complain about the health star-rating system website?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would need to take that question on notice for the reasons—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Do you know every person who answers the phone in your office?

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! When there is silence on both sides, we will proceed.

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I indicated to the Senate, I would need to take that question on notice (a) to ensure the fact that the CEO did call my office and (b) to ensure I give correct information to the Senate.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Is the minister aware that Mondelez, client of Australian Public Affairs, which was owned by her chief of staff and his wife at the time the call was made, is represented on the board of the Australian Food and Grocery Council?

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order: I ask for your ruling on whether this relates to the minister's portfolio area and the policy for which question time is set up.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order.

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Unfortunately, the senator is ill informed and the premise of her question is entirely wrong. Mondelez has not been a client of APA since my former chief of staff worked for me. APA did no work for Mondelez. I cannot be any clearer than that.