Alan Griffin (Bruce, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Special Minister of State. Can the minister confirm that his chief of staff, Mr Peter Phelps, contacted the Electoral Commissioner on Wednesday after he became aware of the media interest in the Kirribilli fundraiser issue? Minister, having spoken to the commissioner, why did Mr Phelps then speak directly to Mr Kevin Bodel, the AEC’s director of funding and disclosure, rather than allowing the Electoral Commissioner to take responsibility for inquiries within the independent authority that he is in charge of? What instruction did Mr Phelps give Mr Bodel? On whose authority did Mr Phelps then brief the media on behalf of the AEC that ‘they have no official statement on Kirribilli’?

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