Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security
3:06 pm
My question again is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I refer to his answer to my last question, when he referred me to answers delivered by his officials to Senate estimates. Will the minister confirm that in fact his officials have been gagged in Senate estimates when asked questions on this matter? Will he confirm that the reason which officials gave for not answering questions on this matter was that these matters were being handled by the Cole inquiry? Minister, why have you once again failed to tell this parliament the truth when you know that the Cole inquiry has no powers to investigate companies which are not mentioned in the Volcker inquiry?
David Hawker Speaker
Order! The member for Griffith will rephrase that question.
Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security
Mr Speaker, I asked why he had not told the truth. It is a matter for the minister to respond as to whether or not he has.
David Hawker Speaker
Either the member for Griffith will rephrase the question or I will rule it out of order.
Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security
You find the truth just a huge joke, don’t you, Mr Downer? Will the minister, on the basis of his answer to the last question posed to him in this parliament, stand up and confirm that his officials have been gagged in Senate estimates on this and that the Cole inquiry has no powers whatsoever to investigate these matters?
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
First of all, the honourable member asked me about the truth and I think I demonstrated in answer to my question about the ONA that the member for Griffith had indeed not been telling the truth about the ONA. The first thing is that the member for Griffith—
David Hawker Speaker
Order! The minister made an allegation about the member for Griffith which he will withdraw.
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
I withdraw, Mr Speaker. The second point that I would make is that this is a matter that is being investigated by the Australian Federal Police. The Federal Police have asked—
Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order: on the question of relevance—
David Hawker Speaker
The minister has only just begun his answer. He is in order.
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
The second point I would make is that the Australian Federal Police are investigating these matters, and they obviously do not want their investigation compromised and have asked for it not to be compromised. I would have thought there were two things about this. First of all, nobody is guilty of anything until they have been charged and convicted. All this is is a police investigation—
David Hawker Speaker
Order! The member for Charlton will remove herself under standing order 94(a).
The member for Charlton then left the chamber.
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
The second thing is that it is the right thing to do, if there are concerns, to have the police investigate those things and that is it. If the Labor Party wants to compromise the investigation but apparently wants the truth to come out—
Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security
Mr Rudd interjecting
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
those two things do not stack up. If you want these issues dealt with and resolved, they should be done so following due process in order that the investigation can be fully effective. There is no point in compromising the investigation just so you can make some childish party-political point. I would say to the Labor Party on these issues: when it comes to telling the truth—
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Ms Gillard interjecting
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
there is a long record over the last 12 months of some egregiously dishonest things having been said by the Leader of the Opposition—and indeed the member for Griffith—and due process should be followed. And you would think that somebody who wants to be the Prime Minister of Australia would lead a political party that wanted to follow due process, but apparently not.
Kim Beazley Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
Mr Beazley interjecting
Alexander Downer Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Mr Speaker, I ask that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that reference to me.
Kim Beazley Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
I withdraw ‘Deal with this idiot.’
David Hawker Speaker
The Leader of the Opposition will withdraw without reservation.
Kim Beazley Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
Mr Speaker, what do you want me to withdraw—‘this idiot’?
Kim Beazley Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
I withdraw ‘this idiot’.
Kim Beazley Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
I withdraw, Mr Speaker.