Senate debates

Monday, 3 March 2014

Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers

Water

3:34 pm

Photo of Doug CameronDoug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I stand to take note of questions answered by Senator Sinodinos. I want to go first of all to the profile of Senator Sinodinos on his own website—the website of the Liberal Senator for New South Wales and the Assistant Treasurer. I think this demonstrates the cover up that is on in a range of areas with the coalition, the lack of transparency and the lack of openness in a whole range of areas. Senator Sinodinos in his biography outlines the work that he did while he was the senior economic adviser for the opposition leader, Mr John Howard. He outlines the work he did as Chief of Staff when he was working for the Prime Minister. He outlines work in 2006 when he was with Goldman Sachs, JBWere and the National Australia Bank and when he held various other corporate appointments. He outlines charity work he has done. He indicates that he was appointed an officer of the Order of Australia in 2008. Then he jumps from 2008 to 2011, saying that he returned to politics in 2011. There is not one word about his relationship with Australian Water Holdings. That is typical of the coalition. They are trying to cover up something that should be in the open for the Australian public. Why wouldn't you want to cover that up?

When you look at what Australian Water Holdings did over the period before, during and after Senator Sinodinos's term as chairman of that company, you will see that the Liberal Party did very well—thanks, very much—out of Senator Sinodinos's time at Australian Water Holdings. In 2009-10, they received $13,000 in donations; while in 2010-11 the New South Wales Liberals received $51,603, the federal Liberals received $10,000 and the federal Nationals received $10,000—a total of $84,603. So the money was flowing in.

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