Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Curiously, this question is raised in this honest spirit of inquiry by the opposition when they have been hawking this around the press gallery for several days. That is point 1. So the honesty with which the honourable member puts this question is itself under some scrutiny and he knows it only to be true. Secondly, I draw the honourable member’s attention to the fact that on 1 August 2003 you have a statement from me to the pecuniary interests register, which says ‘The payment of $28,000 to the Brisbane Airport Corporation by community group Ban Aircraft over Residential Brisbane on 13 June 2003 for a bill received by me by order of the Federal Court for legal costs’ and associated details. It is on the pecuniary interests register and has been there for some time.

Thirdly, I say to the honourable member in response to his question that he should understand the following, as I am best advised. A community group called Ban Aircraft over Residential Brisbane ran a community fundraiser in 2003 to help pay for the legal costs I incurred in my legal battle with the Brisbane Airport Corporation. Furthermore, as I have just indicated, I declared this assistance on the pecuniary interests register at the time, as is appropriate. I also spoke about it in the House. Furthermore, Mr John Grant, a resident of Brisbane’s Southside and who also lives under the flight path, attended that community fundraiser. I say further to the honourable member that tickets for the fundraiser, I understand, were $85.

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