Kerrynne Liddle (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Farrell. Official documents obtained under freedom-of-information requests show that the South Australian Minister for Trade and Investment's office approached your office to secure a meeting with local business Citadel Secure and that a meeting was agreed to by your chief of staff. Minister, have you or anyone from your office had meetings with Citadel Secure and/or any of its clients? If so, who attended these meetings and when did they occur?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Liddle, I am very disappointed that you have asked this question, days out from an important by-election in South Australia, where the people of Dunstan are going to have to choose a replacement for the former Premier. This is grubby. This is really, really grubby.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just answer the question.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, the answer is no. But this is really, really grubby politics. And can I say this, Senator Liddle: this is below you.

Kerrynne Liddle (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, has your office or department been provided with any documents pitching for government funding associated with meeting requests? Has any disclosure of lobbying activities on behalf of Citadel Secure been required?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No. This gets grubbier and grubbier. The absolute answer to this is no. This is not the way I behave in this job. I have tried to lift the standards in this place, and the standards I expect of everybody else I apply to myself. These questions are below you. Senator, this is my advice: don't get involved in this grubby activity that is going on in the Parliament of South Australia.

Kerrynne Liddle (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Child Protection and the Prevention of Family Violence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question was not about seeking your advice. Can you advise the Senate what role Ms Cressida O'Hanlon—then Labor Party staffer, now Labor Party candidate, an associate director of Citadel Secure—played in seeking or securing access to your office? Have you or anyone in your office had any engagement with Ms O'Hanlon regarding Citadel Secure? And was the answer to all of those questions 'no'?

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

Minister Wong?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would ask you to take advice from the Clerk as to whether or not a question about a candidate in a state by-election is actually relevant to the minister's portfolio. It really does bell the cat that the opposition is now, days out from a state by-election, seeking to ask a direct personal question about an individual—an individual they were happy to name and were happy to [inaudible] in this place. I would ask you to seek the advice of the Clerk.

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

Thank you, Senator Wong. I'll seek the advice of the Clerk. Senator Birmingham?

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

President, on the point of order, the questions were—

Government senators interjecting—

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

Just a moment, Senator Birmingham. Order on my left! Senator Birmingham.

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

The questions were directed to Senator Farrell in his capacity as Minister for Trade and Tourism. They were relying upon freedom of information documents which indicate that a meeting with this company had been agreed to by his chief of staff. It is entirely in order for senators to ask ministers questions about meetings they undertake and engagements they may or may not have with individuals seeking or advocating for those meetings or for funding.

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

Thank you, Senator Birmingham. I will seek the advice of the Clerk. I am advised that the question is in order. Given that the statements have been made, it is also an opportunity for the minister to respond to those statements. Minister Farrell.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I be very, very clear—absolutely crystal clear—that there has been no contact between my office and anybody associated with Citadel Secure, including the very fine candidate for the Labor Party in the seat of Dunstan. I reiterate that these are grubby tactics. They are tactics that you're prepared to use, Senator Liddle, under parliamentary privilege. If you're so confident that something wrong has occurred, make these statements outside of this place. Make them so that Cressida O'Hanlon can defend herself in defamation proceedings, because absolutely nothing you say is true. Say it outside of parliament. If you think this is right, say it outside of parliament.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.