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

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. I refer to the former Special Minister of State, Senator Ryan, now President, who, when asked about staffing allocations, said:

I do not know. I honestly cannot speak to that. The matter of allocation of staff is a matter for the Prime Minister.

Is this correct?

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

Obviously it would help if Senator Farrell wants to provide a bit more context to the line of questioning that he pursued at the time. Let me just make a general point. I obviously know the context in which he is asking the question today. The general point is that the Prime Minister has an administrative role when it comes to the hiring of staff in the same way as the finance department has an administrative role. I have a role, given some of the stuff that has been said in recent days, in relation to every single one of the staffers on the Labor side, as much as I have a role in relation to staff on the government side.

In relation to the Nationals, which I assume the question is about, I'm advised that the Nationals are provided with a number of personal staff positions as a share of the government staffing pool. Their distribution between Nationals offices is a matter for the National Party. I'm also advised that at no time did the Nationals fill all vacant staffing positions. As for staffing moves between offices, the Deputy Prime Minister of course addressed that in a statement on Saturday, and I would refer you to that statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, a supplementary question.

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

Thank you, Mr President. I do have a supplementary question. I again refer to the former Special Minister of State, Senator Ryan, now President, who, when asked about the approval of payments above the band, said, 'It's the Prime Minister; it's not me.' Is that correct?

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

Again I can only assume that the reason Senator Farrell is asking these questions is matters that have been in the public domain in recent days. I refer Senator Farrell to my previous answer.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, a final supplementary question.

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

Thank you, Mr President. I do have a further supplementary question. On how many occasions has the Prime Minister agreed to allocate additional staff to the Nationals Whip or to pay staff in that office above the band?

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

I might again refer you to my first answer, where I confirmed that my advice is that the Nationals are provided with a number of personal staff positions as a share of the government's staffing pool. Their distribution between Nationals offices is a matter for the National Party. I'm advised that at no time did the Nationals fill all vacant staffing positions. As for staffing moves between offices, the Deputy Prime Minister addressed that in a statement on Saturday, and I refer you to that.