Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. When there have been legal questions surrounding the actions of senators, such as former Senators Day and Culleton, or of former ministers, some of whom are still in the parliament, the Prime Minister has referred the matters to the appropriate legal or administrative authority. Why has the government taken no such action in response to serious allegations involving Senator Pauline Hanson, including allegations about inflating invoices, conspiring to conceal the donation of an aircraft and breaching electoral laws?

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

The honourable member's colleague the member for Isaacs asked about these matters last week, and they are being investigated or reviewed by the Australian Federal Police, and that has been confirmed to me by the Federal Police Commissioner. So the matter is in hand. That has been confirmed to me by the Minister for Justice. The matter is in hand.

And the Australian Federal Police should be allowed to do their work independently. I recall some eloquent speeches from the Leader of the Opposition about the independence of the Australian Federal Police and how government should not attempt to influence it. The matter is in hand. The police are investigating it, and they should be allowed to do their work.