Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, 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. US Congressman Matt Gaetz is attending the first Australian event of the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, in Sydney next week. Mr Gaetz is best known for inviting Holocaust-denier Charles C Johnson to the state of the union. Mr Johnson is a man who asked for help 'taking out' a black-lives-matter activist and denied that over six million Jewish people were murdered in the Holocaust. Does the Prime Minister support members of his party room attending CPAC?

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

I'm not aware of the details of the issue that you raise and I'm not going to just take on face value all aspects of it. The issue fundamentally that you raise is very serious. I think it is well understood that the coalition has a strong and proud track record of being a supporter of Israel, so I would reject any implication in that question that we are anything other than that. Beyond that, in order to deal with the question that Senator Wong has raised with the appropriate level of sensitivity and accuracy, I will take it on notice.

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

Senator Wong, a supplementary question?

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

The Prime Minister, Mr Morrison, has said previously:

… I'll always be prepared to call out extremism in all its forms.

Senator Amanda Stoker and the member for Hughes, Craig Kelly MP, will be attending this event with Mr Gaetz. Will the Prime Minister call out extremists when they stand next to each other on stage?

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

Of course, the Prime Minister stands by his statement, but I don't accept the premise of the question that Senator Wong has asked. As I have indicated in response to the primary question, I will provide an answer on notice.

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

Senator Wong, a final supplementary question?

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

I again refer to Mr Morrison's assurances that he will:

… always be prepared to call out extremism in all its forms.

Given this, will he guarantee that no current or former members of the parliament, including Senator Stoker, Craig Kelly MP or former Prime Minister Abbott will attend this extremist conference?

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

As I have already indicated in response to the primary question, I will make sure that I am aware of all of the facts before making an informed statement. I have already taken that question on notice, and I will get back to the chamber.