House debates Questions without Notice

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Monday, 15 March 2010 House of Representatives

Greg Hunt

Greg Hunt Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage

2:24 pm

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his previous answer about cabinet documents and cabinet related correspondence. Will the Prime Minister, given his answer, now withdraw his statement of 23 February that in relation to the cabinet process:

… no safety concerns were raised.

Kevin Rudd

Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister

In my answer to the honourable member’s question—or maybe it was the Leader of the Opposition’s question—last week I referred to a series of letters to me from the then minister responsible, Minister Garrett, a number of which related to training matters and therefore by extension to safety matters as well.

Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Kevin Rudd

Kevin Rudd Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister

It is exactly what I said to the member for Flinders last week. As I also said last week, this correspondence between the minister and me constituted cabinet related correspondence. If the member for Flinders wishes to have access to it, launch an FOI request and it will be tested by the normal independent decision maker under the FOI processes.

Greg Hunt

Greg Hunt Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage

Mr Speaker I seek leave to table the statement from the Prime Minister on the 23rd of last month in which he said:

… no safety concerns were raised.

Harry Jenkins

Harry Jenkins Speaker

Leave is not granted.