House debates Questions without Notice

Member for Fisher

Tuesday, 30 October 2012 House of Representatives

Christopher Pyne

Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training

2:13 pm

My question is to the Attorney-General. I remind the Attorney-General of her statement on 15 June:

We aren't bringing a strike-out application; Mr Slipper is.

Given that the member for Isaacs, the Prime Minister's parliamentary secretary and Queen's Counsel, stated:

… the Commonwealth of Australia is bringing an application to the Federal Court to strike out this case …

Why did she make this brazenly false statement?

Nicola Roxon

Nicola Roxon Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General

2:14 pm

As much respect as I have for the member for Isaacs and his status as Queen's Counsel, unfortunately, if that was the statement that was made, it was wrong. A strike out application was not made by the Commonwealth, as was—

Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Ms Anna Burke

Ms Anna Burke Speaker

Order! Is there interest in the answer or not? It is question No. 1.

Nicola Roxon

Nicola Roxon Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General

This matter can clearly be clarified if anybody would like to check the Federal Court file, which is available online. It can be clarified if anyone would like to check Hansard, as it was confirmed in Senate estimates. And I understand from my colleague that, if you actually read the context of the comments made by the member for Isaacs, it will be clear that, as we have always said, an abuse of process application was made, but not a strike out application. That information is all there, available to see, and is incontrovertible.