House debates Questions without Notice
Special Minister of State
Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General
2:55 pm
My question is to the Special Minister of State. I refer to the minister's previous answers and I refer to comments made by James Ashby in today's Australian:
'So I went home and pulled the copy of the diary out of my cupboard, took some pictures of the relevant dates and sent them to Mal. He couldn't read them and texted me and asked if I could send them again … '
Did the minister receive those unauthorised copies of the former Speaker's diary? Is conduct of this nature consistent with the standard this government applies to the minister's portfolio?
Mal Brough Fisher, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State
2:56 pm
Again, for the shadow minister's I am not quite sure what—contemplation? To the question 'did I receive any further correspondence of any kind from Mr Ashby', the answer is no.
Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General
Unauthorised copies.
Mal Brough Fisher, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State
Call it whatever you like. I refer the shadow Attorney-General to a radio interview today by Alan Jones on 2GB of Mr James Ashby, where Mr Jones asked:
Did Mal Brough ever ask you for a copy of Slipper's diaries?
JAMES ASHBY: No …