Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
3:40 pm
I wish to make a personal explanation.
Tony Smith Speaker
Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
I certainly do.
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
On 2 March on Macquarie radio, in an interview with Ray Hadley, the Treasurer said of me:
Chris Bowen was the Immigration Minister and, remember, he was the bloke who renewed Alex Vella’s visa.
The House might recall that Mr Vella was associated with the Rebels motorcycle gang, so this is a very serious allegation. Accordingly, I subsequently wrote to the Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection in accordance with my rights as a former minister under the Archives Act 1983 and requested to be provided with all documents that were provided to me or my office in relation to Mr Vella during my time as minister. The secretary has today written to me indicating that no such documents exist and no decision-making material was provided to me during my time as minister. Accordingly, the allegation made against me by the Treasurer is false and I invite him not to make it again.
Tony Smith Speaker
Does the Treasurer claim to have been misrepresented?
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer
To the comments that the member refers to, where he claims that I was making the assertion that he says, when I was minister for immigration, I called up Alex Vella's visa to make sure it could be cancelled. As a minister, when you want to chuck bikies out of the country, you take action, which you did not do. As a result, by implication, you renewed Alex Vella's visa.
Tony Smith Speaker
The Treasurer will resume his seat.
Honourable members interjecting—
Members on both sides of the House.
Mr Bowen interjecting—
Mr Morrison interjecting—
The Treasurer and the member for McMahon are interrupting me.
Mr Morrison interjecting—
The Treasurer will cease interjecting. I am seeking to address the House. If the Treasurer and the member for McMahon want to continue their argument, they can do it outside of the House. We have other business to move on with.