Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Canavan. Deputy Prime Minister Joyce has today confirmed that in April 2017 his former media adviser Vikki Campion went to work for a senior colleague, Mr Canavan. Did the minister seek the approval of the Prime Minister or the Prime Minister's office for the appointment to his office?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ketter for his question. This has been dealt with through a statement by the Deputy Prime Minister over the weekend. Appointments to Nationals ministers' offices are worked out in consultation between ministerial officers and the Deputy Prime Minister's office. The Prime Minister's office—

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

Order! Senator Canavan, please resume your seat. Senator Wong.

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

My President, I rise on a point of order. He may be approaching it. I was going to ask you to remind the minister of the question. There was only one question, which is whether or not this minister sought the approval of the Prime Minister or his office.

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

I call Senator Canavan. I think he was coming to that, but I remind him of the question.

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister's office, as has been outlined in that statement on the weekend, has an administrative role in informing the Department of Finance of those changes, so the answer to the question is no.

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

Senator Ketter, a supplementary question.

Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask the minister: who approved the appointment? How, when and by whom was approval of the appointment communicated?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said in my answer to the previous question, the appointment was approved through consultation between my office and the Deputy Prime Minister's office. The Prime Minister's office has a role in an administrative matter in informing the Department of Finance of the changes.

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

A final supplementary question, Senator Ketter?

Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Was there ever any communication between the minister or his office and the Prime Minister or his office regarding the nature of the relationship between the Deputy Prime Minister and his former media adviser? If so, when and with whom did this communication take place?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That has been dealt with in a statement by the Deputy Prime Minister this morning. I had no knowledge of the relationship between Mr Joyce and Ms Campion at the time and, as he has said in the statement this morning, she was not his partner at the time.