Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. The Prime Minister has claimed his only involvement in the Community Sport Infrastructure Program was passing along information. Why then, on the day before he called the election, did the Prime Minister obtain a colour-coded spreadsheet from Senator McKenzie with projects she intended to approve listed by party and electorate?

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

The first point I would make is that, as Sport Australia advised the Senate committee earlier today, the brief with the decisions was signed on 4 April. That was a week before the election was called. Obviously, subsequent to that, in the context of usual announcement arrangements you would expect there to be some communications in order to make the necessary arrangements.

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

Senator Green, a supplementary question?

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister confirm that the final Community Sport Infrastructure Program spreadsheet rejected 73 per cent of the projects recommended by Sport Australia? Can the minister also confirm the Prime Minister obtained it the day before he called the election?

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

I can confirm, as we have confirmed consistently for a very long time, that the final decisions in relation to successful projects were made by Senator McKenzie as the minister for sport. Indeed, Senator McKenzie ensured that there was a fairer distribution of the available funds to projects around Australia, including by making sure that a larger—

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

On a point of order of direct relevance. This goes to a very important question of the proportion of projects rejected and also an important question as to timing—the Prime Minister obtaining the brief the day prior to calling the federal election. I would ask the minister to be directly relevant to those questions.

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

You've reminded the minister of the question. I'm listening very carefully to his answer. He has 34 seconds remaining.

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

I am being directly relevant, because I am confirming the fact that the decision-maker was Minister McKenzie and the decision was made a week before the election was called. Of course, subsequently, as you would expect, there were communications to ensure that announcement arrangements were put in place, as appropriate.

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

Senator Green, a final supplementary question?

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To be clear, is the Prime Minister aware that Senator McKenzie provided a signed and backdated brief to Sport Australia approving the final round of projects on the day he called the election?

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

All I can do, in relation to that question, is refer you back to the evidence by Sport Australia to the Senate committee where they made clear that the brief was signed on 4 April.