Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr President. I reiterate that I completely reject the senator's outrageous slur on my department's staff. The New South Wales Police alerted the department on Thursday, 10 September that they had found a number of allegedly stolen medical files during an unrelated police operation. This is an ongoing police investigation, and ongoing police investigations must be allowed to take their appropriate course. The department is undertaking investigations as to any matters associated with inappropriate Medicare claiming. As is standard and responsible practice, the department does not comment on open or ongoing police investigations as this could potentially jeopardise their investigation. Observing this level of responsible behaviour has apparently escaped Senator Cameron.