Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Ageing. I refer the minister to his statement this morning in relation to the investigation into Senator Santoro:

We have absolutely no reason to believe that there’s anything untoward ...

Given that the minister was only sworn in a couple of hours ago, how come he has already made up his mind?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question to me on my inaugural question time as Minister for Ageing. I can answer that by saying that, because I knew that I was being appointed on Sunday, I obviously took the time to do a bit of briefing, a bit of work, before this morning’s swearing in—as you would expect any new minister to do. And what I said is true.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Gillard interjecting

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Macklin interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The deputy leader has asked her question.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have no reason to believe or suspect that there is anything untoward in the last round of aged-care approvals. However we are conducting a review which has entailed interviewing the officials concerned—

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is the point? You’ve already made up your mind.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

having the documents sent from Brisbane to be reviewed again—

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You’ve already made up your mind.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Jagajaga is warned!

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and, if they turn up any information that will be of any interest to the Prime Minister, you can be certain I will tell him about it. I am surprised to get this question because the member for Lilley, the member for Griffith and the member for Rankin might remember that, when I was chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters inquiry into electoral rorts in Queensland, I conducted a pretty close scrutiny of their activities. So you can be confident that, if there is anything at all wrong, I will get to the bottom of it.