Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Arbib, the Minister for Sport. Just two days ago, the UK parliament's House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee heard alarming evidence that two FIFA members from Cameroon and the Ivory Coast allegedly took bribes of $1.5 million each to vote for Qatar in its bid for the 2022 world cup. It is a matter of public record that the Australian government spent $45.6 million of taxpayers' money on Australia's unsuccessful bid. Given these grave allegations of serious corruption at the heart of FIFA, what steps will the Australian government take? Indeed, will the govern­ment be asking for a $45.6 million refund from FIFA?