Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Gallagher. Yesterday, in answer to a question from Senator Birmingham, the minister said that in the week prior to 15 February the minister 'came into receiving some information through the partner of the young woman who was going to raise those allegations'. In an answer to Senator Cash, the minister said, 'What you are asking me to do here is to disclose information that was given to me and asked to be kept by me in confidence.' I ask the minister: was part of that information that you came into receiving a copy of material that was always intended to be made public—specifically, a copy of the transcript of the project interview or the interview itself—prior to its release?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I dealt with these issues yesterday.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I did. I did deal with them. It may not have been to your satisfaction, but I dealt with them in a way that I am going to deal with them, which is the statement that I made, and I will go back to that, and the fact that I was given information from a young woman who made a serious allegation about something horrific that had happened to her in this workplace, allegedly—I accept that; allegedly—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There was something, allegedly, that occurred in this workplace, in this building between two Liberal staffers in a Liberal minister's office.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, please resume your seat. The minister is on her feet answering, and there are constant interjections across the chamber, all of which are disorderly. Minister, please continue.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said yesterday, I was provided with that information in the days leading up to that information, or stories, becoming public. But it wasn't my story. It was Ms Higgins's story, and she had asked me to keep that information confidential, which I did. I don't intend—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston, your constant interjections are disorderly and disrespectful.

Senator Ruston! Minister, please continue.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't intend to breach that confidence now, and I didn't then. I have been approached in the last 24 hours by women—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I treated that information in the way that I treat all information that comes to me and is asked to be kept confidential—as I would hope everybody in this building does when people approach them with information and ask them to keep it confidential. I treated this information exactly the same way. And I would say that I have been contacted and I'm sure plenty of people in this place have been contacted by women who are extremely concerned with how this discussion is occurring— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Payne, a first supplementary?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, was the partner of a young woman the only source of the information to which you refer? Or did you receive any information prior to 15 February from Ms Wilkinson, representatives of The Project, anyone else from Network Ten or any other media organisation?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer to that is no. I did not receive any other information from any other source. The information that came to me came only through Ms Higgins and through her partner. And I was asked to keep that information confidential. I did. It was a serious allegation. I was shocked by it. I was stunned. I couldn't believe that something like that allegedly had occurred in this place a couple of years earlier. I was shocked by it and I was shocked by how upset this young woman seemed to be.

And I would just remind people—there are essentially two charges against me: (1) that I misled the Senate, which I've tried to deal with, obviously not to your satisfaction, but I've been as honest as I can on that, and (2) that I had some role in the compensation payment; I have not, I did not. So, take those issues up with me. Continue to take the issues up with me— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Payne, a second supplementary?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So, yesterday you advised the Senate that you did 'absolutely nothing' with the information provided. Can the minister categorically guarantee to the Senate that the minister provided no feedback or suggestions in response to the information provided, as has been publicly alleged?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer you to my statement. The manner in which this story became public, the timing of this story becoming public and the decisions about Ms Higgins's story and how she wanted to tell it had absolutely nothing to do with me—absolutely nothing.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, the implication in that question from Senator Payne is that I was involved in it, and I wasn't. And I want to remind people here today just what message this chamber is sending out to every other woman who might want to stand up.

Honourable senators interjecti ng—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Minister, please resume your seat. Order on my left and my right. These are difficult questions and difficult answers, and I'm asking that you listen respectfully and in silence. Minister, please continue.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would say that this chamber should think about how this debate, and the ongoing coverage of it, is impacting on all the women out there, to whom we are saying with one mouth, 'Stand up and tell you story, and we will support you.' Using the other tongue, we are saying, 'If you dare to do it— (Time expired)

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Order! I'm not sure who made that comment. I am calling on you to stand up and withdraw it.

Honourable senators interjecting—

The:

I'm not going to repeat it. I think you're well aware of what was said.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's enough! Seriously. I heard it, and so did a lot of other people. Thank you for withdrawing, Senator McGrath.