Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

The comments that Senator Keneally just quoted are disgraceful and highly objectionable and completely outrageous that, of course, I entirely abhor, and I'm sure anyone in this Senate chamber abhors. I don't think that that is a partisan position. Those are disgusting comments and I reject them. I reject them entirely and utterly.

Now, having said that, I am not aware of this conference. I don't have the information in relation to this conference. I have already taken these matters on notice. I will just make a general point that, just because you are at an event somewhere, you're not expected to agree with everything that everybody says that is at the same event. Let me tell you, all of us have been at events in our electorates where we've come across people who have made highly objectionable comments. (Time expired)