Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. I refer to the Prime Minister, who said on 19 November last year that he had 'confidence' in Mr Brough and to his subsequent decision to stand aside the Special Minister of State during the Christmas-New Year period. I ask: what changed between November and December?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Collins, as you well know, this is a matter of a current inquiry. It would be inappropriate to comment.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I will try again. Given his admission on national television that he conspired with a member of the former Speaker's staff to procure the Speaker's diary, are there any circumstances in which Mr Brough could be considered fit to return to the frontbench?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Collins, you have, as is your wont, misattributed words to Mr Brough. Mr Brough did not say the words that you attributed to him, so you should be very careful in attributing to people words that they did not use. That having been said, I have nothing to add to my previous answer.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I encourage Senator Brandis to look at my actual words in the question. I did not attribute any words. I ask a second supplementary question. I refer to reports that the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Mr Pyne, and the Assistant Minister for Innovation, Mr Roy, have also been subject to questioning from the Australian Federal Police with regard to the Ashby affair. Do Mr Pyne and Mr Roy retain the full confidence of the Prime Minister?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I gather the answer has occurred.