Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to provide an update for the Australian people on my attempts to secure a copy of the coalition agreement—a battle which has now moved to the Federal Court, where the Prime Minister is spending tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars of taxpayers' money to pay highly-qualified lawyers to keep the coalition agreement a secret. It is a David and Goliath battle, but the Australian people can be assured that I will continue to take on the Prime Minister in the Federal Court on their behalf.

Nothing could be more basic to our democracy, particularly under the Westminster system, where governments are made and unmade in this place—often between two parties. Nothing could be more fundamental than what is in that agreement. The question is: what is the secret? What does the Prime Minister have to hide? What deals did he do with the Deputy Prime Minister in order to form a government and to remain the Prime Minister of this country? Surely, this is information that the Australian community should have access to? I am going to ensure that they do have access to it.

The other best-kept secret is: who is using the Deputy Prime Minister's Armidale ministerial office? There has been $300,000 worth of taxpayers' money spent on an office in Armidale which is not used as a ministerial office. It is just another pork barrel by Barnaby Joyce. (Time expired)