House debates

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

Questions without Notice

Automotive Industry

2:42 pm

Photo of Chris BowenChris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. I refer to the front page story in today's Australian Financial Review entitled 'Toyota blamed union'. Did the Treasurer himself or anyone on his behalf provide information to the Australian Financial Review about the Treasurer's meetings with Toyota?

2:43 pm

Photo of Joe HockeyJoe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

I tell you what: I do not discuss those sorts of conversations and I certainly don't discuss—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting

Photo of Joe HockeyJoe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

Hang on! Hang on! Do you know what? Before you get carried away, I do not publicly discuss what is said to me by members of the Labor Party frontbench either. I do not know whether I should, but if I break the seal and start revealing everything that is said to me or that I say to the media, I will have to do it for the Labor Party frontbench, and that could be pretty embarrassing.