Kristina Keneally (NSW, 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 Birmingham. Former New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said, 'All four of my grandparents were orphaned and witnessed untold atrocities'—against the Armenian people in 1915. More than 40 of her relatives were killed. Nine's newspapers reported on the weekend that staff in the Prime Minister's office referred disparagingly to the former Premier of New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian as 'Anne Frank'. Why is the Prime Minister's office using Anne Frank's name to disparage Gladys Berejiklian?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have not heard of those allegations and I did not see the story to which Senator Keneally refers. The Prime Minister has made very clear the utmost respect and regard that he has for Ms Berejiklian. As is well known, he would have loved for her to be a candidate for this parliament. We would have welcomed that particular former New South Wales premier entering the House of Representatives. The Prime Minister has been very clear in relation to his very high regard for her, and I am confident that he would have no tolerance for any such references were they to be made in any place.

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Keneally, a supplementary question?

Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Has the Prime Minister ever referred to Ms Berejiklian as 'Anne Frank'? Has the Prime Minister determined who in his office referred to Ms Berejiklian as 'Anne Frank'? Will the Prime Minister apologise for his office using Anne Frank's name as an insult to Gladys Berejiklian?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I just indicated, I am confident the Prime Minister would have no tolerance for such references in any way. I am completely confident that he would never have made them, and that he has such zero tolerance. As I said, I haven't seen the allegations, and forgive me for the fact that I don't take everything at face value in the way it's framed in questions from the opposition, because I've learnt in this job, over time, that the distortions in the way questions can be presented often add a tone of misrepresentation to what apparently occurred. But the Prime Minister's respect for Ms Berejiklian is paramount and significant. He holds her in the highest regard, and his intolerance for such references or statements would be equally high.

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Keneally, a supplementary question?

Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I notice you didn't rule out that his office had done it. The Prime Minister's office backgrounded against the loved ones of Ms Brittany Higgins, and then a veiled threat was made against Ms Grace Tame. Now we learn the Prime Minister's office uses Anne Frank's name as an insult to Gladys Berejiklian. You have not ruled that out. What is going on inside the Prime Minister's office?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just because Senator Keneally says it doesn't mean it's true. Just because Senator Keneally picks up the mud bucket and throws it around doesn't mean there's any accuracy to it. Those opposite are demonstrating, as they do time and time again, as they do question time after question time, that they're only interested in character assassination. They're only interested in making it a personality contest; they're not interested in policies. As we've highlighted in this place, they come in here, they sling mud at Senator Colbeck, but they never propose an alternative aged-care policy, do they? No; they never do that, of course. They are an opposition bereft of any ideas, bereft of any direction, bereft of any substance, with a leader who flip-flops on policies depending on where they're at. They're an opposition who came up with $81 billion of extra spending ideas during the course of the pandemic, but then say we should have budget repair. They demonstrate that they've got no idea.