House debates Questions without Notice
Exclusive Brethren
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
2:41 pm
My question is again to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that the Exclusive Brethren directly supported his re-election in the seat of Bennelong at the last federal election?
Peter Costello Higgins, Liberal Party, Treasurer
Mr Costello interjecting
David Hawker Speaker
Order! The Treasurer! The member for Grayndler will start his question again.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that the Exclusive Brethren directly supported his reelection in the seat of Bennelong at the last federal election? Can the Prime Minister confirm that this support included an extensive letterboxing campaign and attacks on other candidates at public meetings?
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
So the Exclusive Brethren equals Brian Burke! That is an interesting and fascinating question! To start with, the Exclusive Brethren do not vote. That is the first thing I say. The second thing is, if they letterbox in my favour, good on them; they show great taste. And let me also make it clear—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Mr Albanese interjecting
David Hawker Speaker
Order! The member for Grayndler has asked his question!
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
that like any other group—
Wayne Swan Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
What were they doing then?
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
in the Australian community—
Arch Bevis Brisbane, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Homeland Security
They do fund political candidates, though!
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
the Exclusive Brethren are entitled to express their views, and I make it clear that my door is open to any lawful organisation and to any group of people who have not been convicted of crimes. Let us take it back to where the Treasurer put it: what we are talking about is the behaviour of the Leader of the Opposition supping with somebody who was under a ban by Dr Geoff Gallop and who had been convicted of a crime. To my knowledge, as a group the Exclusive Brethren have not been convicted of a crime. Individuals may have—like individual people who are members of a church may have been or individual atheists may have been—but as a group they are a lawful organisation. If the member for Grayndler thinks that by this line of questioning he is going to intimidate me out of meeting lawful organisations, he is wrong, and I encourage all—
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
the good people of Bennelong, whatever their faith or no faith may be, to vote Liberal.