Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I'm not aware of what Senator Keneally is proposing there. Even if there was a past connection, does that make the foundation an inappropriate foundation?

The Labor Party provides grants to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation to support its work in relation to the health of the reef, and that is okay. The Labor government can provide grants to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation; that's okay. But we provide grants to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and, 'Oh, that's terrible, awful.' And here you are trying to besmirch people in the pursuit of your base political interests in relation to a grant that you supported. Senator Keneally came into this chamber and she voted in favour of it.