Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Documents tabled in the Senate confirmed that the Minister the Finance agreed to back-pay rent on Bob Day's electorate office, from 1 July 2015, more than a year before the rent was legally required under the lease. The question is why. Why did the Minister for Finance attempt to back-pay over $30,000 in rent when the Commonwealth was not legally obligated to do so? And, no, Prime Minister, the matter is not fully dealt with in the statement of the Minister for Finance.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can assure the honourable member that that very matter is addressed in Senator Cormann's address to the Senate, and I refer him to it. I also note that, if he studies Senator Cormann's address to the Senate, he will see that the minister notes that no rent was paid in respect of the premises occupied by Senator Day at all.