Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Through the budget process, this Labor government awarded a $23 million cyber wardens grant without tender, which will benefit the Labor aligned company 89 Degrees East. A spokesperson for the minister for health, quoted in the media, confirmed the measure had been brought before the Expenditure Review Committee of cabinet. Did any ministers declare a conflict of interest at the meeting of the Expenditure Review Committee when this grant was approved?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The groans are not parliamentary.

The member for Barker is warned. The Prime Minister has the call.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm not sure whether the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has ever been on the ERC, but if she had ever been on an ERC she would know that the answer to that question is obviously that the ERC doesn't consider those levels of detail. It is just never dealt with at a meeting of the Expenditure Review Committee. It's not what we do when we're putting together a budget. It's not what the former government did and it's not what this government did.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Casey is warned.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The grant that the member referred to was a grant to COSBOA, and it's a matter for them which contractors they engage to administer the program.