Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

At least the member for Isaacs is now being honest about the line of questioning that preceded this contemptible question. As this former Attorney-General knows, the procedures that were in place in the Attorney-General's office were in accordance with long established Attorney-General's Department procedures.

As the Attorney-General has pointed out in a press release today, which I bring to the attention of the former Attorney-General, Senator Brandis has contacted the Director-General of ASIO. The Director-General of ASIO has examined the letter to which the member for Isaacs refers. The Director-General of ASIO has said that in his view, since the letter was a request for legal advice, it was appropriate that the matter was referred to the Attorney-General's Department for a response. The letter and the Attorney-General's Department reply were both placed before the inquiry into the Martin Place siege, conducted by the secretaries of the Prime Minister's and the New South Wales Premier's departments. That report did not have any criticism at all on the way in which the Monis letter was dealt. I find it extraordinary that this former Attorney-General is seeking to make some political mileage out of this national tragedy. The Director-General of ASIO has confirmed that the procedure was appropriate, and I suggest that the former Attorney-General takes a long hard look at his record of degrading funding and resources for our intelligence agencies when he was in office.

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