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 for Finance, Senator Cormann. The Auditor-General's 2008 report into Tourism Australia is especially critical of two contracts, for global creative development and media placement services, signed by Tourism Australia while Prime Minister Morrison was its managing director. Can the minister explain why, 10 years since the audit and 13 years since the contracts were signed, these two completed contracts do not appear on AusTender?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've already taken questions in relation to a 2008 Auditor-General's report on notice. That is, of course, a report that was delivered when the Rudd government was in government. So I will, of course, as I've indicated to the chamber, get answers to these sorts of questions, which of course relate to a time when Mr Morrison wasn't even in the parliament. He was a private citizen back then. He was a private citizen who was praised by the then chairman of Tourism Australia, Mr Fisher, for his outstanding performance. He was the driving force behind the 'Where the bloody hell are you?' campaign, which was highly successful in raising Australia's profile internationally and highly successful in attracting more tourists to Australia.

Mr Morrison, of course, is known to the people of Australia as the person who dealt with Labor's chaos at our borders. He is the one who stopped the boats. He is the one who took over your chaos and dysfunction after six years of dysfunctional Labor government which led to a weakening economy, rising unemployment, a rapidly deteriorating budget position and chaos at our borders. Compare that with our track record of a stronger economy, more jobs, an improving budget position and, of course, a government that is successful in protecting the integrity of our borders. The Australian people know who delivers stronger growth, more jobs, better opportunity for Australian families and integrity to our borders.

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

Despite procurement rules requiring contracts to be reported within 42 days of them being entered, searches, including by AusTender staff, have reportedly failed to locate the contracts. What steps has the minister taken to locate the missing contracts and ensure that they are published as required?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, this report was delivered during the period of the last Labor government and, indeed, Labor remained in government for a further five years after that report was delivered. I will, on notice, inquire as to what happened during the period of the past Labor government and provide a response to the chamber.

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

Given his history at Tourism Australia, is it any wonder that Prime Minister Morrison oversaw the gifting of $444 million of taxpayers' money to a small private foundation without due diligence or process? Why should Australians trust Prime Minister Morrison to run the government when former Prime Minister Howard couldn't even trust him to run Tourism Australia?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): Mr Morrison is part of a team that has turned the economic fortunes of Australia around. We inherited a weakening economy from Labor. We inherited rising unemployment from Labor. We inherited a rapidly deteriorating budget position from Labor. We inherited chaos at our borders from Labor. Mr Morrison, along with every Liberal and National member and senator in the House of Representatives and in the Senate, has worked hard to ensure that today the economy is stronger, employment growth is much stronger, our budget is in a stronger and improving position and our borders are more secure. Of course, Mr Morrison remains an outstanding advocate for our vibrant tourism sector and is highly recognised in the tourism sector as such. Labor, clearly, have run out of ideas. You're focusing on 10 years in the past because you don't have any ideas for the future. Your only ideas for the future are to whack Australian families and businesses with $200 billion in higher taxes, which would harm the economy and put jobs at risk. (Time expired)