Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am not going into that, Senator Brandis, but I take your interjection. Senator Crossin was a great friend of Indigenous people, and a great friend of all Territorians. Are you suggesting that, because she did not know, she is in some way at fault? What if she did know but did not report it? At least have some consistency in your criticism.

Senator Scullion understands the issues; he understands the portfolio. As I understand it this is an establishment run by the Northern Territory government. Am I wrong? Is that correct? Can someone help me? It is run by the Northern Territory government, so why the Labor Party are attacking a coalition federal minister escapes me a bit, except that it is just a very poor attempt to divert attention from the horrendous position that Senator Dastyari is in because of his failure to disclose money given to him for private debt by some company associated, as I understand it, with the Chinese government. The attack on Senator Scullion was the dampest squib I have ever seen. But that avoids the question of what a significant, careful and caring minister Senator Scullion has been in his portfolio, in his responsibilities for the Indigenous and other people of the Northern Territory.

I congratulate Senator Scullion on what he has done. I congratulate him on and admire him for his answers to the questions in question time today. As I remarked to my colleague next door to me, I think he is giving too much information—he is answering the question and more. Senator Scullion was quite keen to lay out the facts, and those facts clearly show that he has acted appropriately, as any minister should and would do, and I congratulate him on that.