Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister and Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations and the Minister representing the Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, Senator Evans. I refer the minister to today's revelation that, in March this year, the member for Dobell lobbied Central Coast Group Training to give his ex-wife a job at the same time as supporting that organisa­tion's bids for federal funding for a jobs incubator. I also refer to Mr Thomson's text message to Councillor Best, the general manager of Central Coast Group Training, saying, 'Bye-bye job incubator', following a radio interview in which Councillor Best expressed his concerns about delays with the GP superclinic at Warnervale. Does the minister condone Mr Thomson seeking this favour for his ex-wife as a quid pro quo for supporting government funding for this jobs incubator and threatening such funding when he did not like public comments made by the general manager of Central Coast Group Training?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I take it that the question really goes to whether I have read the paper. Senator Fierravanti-Wells has, and she repeats claims made in the paper and then seeks to ask me, as if it is something to do with me, about it at question time. Obviously that is a way of getting the issue up. As I understand it, the question of the jobs incubator is a commitment that has been implemented through Mr Garrett's portfolio. I understand that is in the process of occurring. I am sure he has had some contact with the local member about that incubator, and I can certainly take it on notice as to whether that occurred. As to the rest of the matters raised by the senator, they are clearly not within my portfolio responsibilities.

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given these revelations, does the minister agree with the comments made by the Prime Minister that the member for Dobell is doing a fine job as a local member and should be around for a 'very, very long time to come'?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister can address that part which pertains to the portfolio.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again this is more about trying to get an issue up and trying to slur as many people as possible in the process. The Prime Minister's comments are on the record for the Senate to refer to.

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. What guarantees can the minister provide that he will undertake urgent inquiries about all representations and advice Mr Thomson has given ministers, their offices and depart­ments on applications for funding this jobs incubator under different government programs and inform the Senate of the nature of these representations, particularly whether they supported funding, prior to the Senate rising tomorrow?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The first question was what undertakings can I give them and then somewhere at the end there was a question.

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I said, 'What guarantees.'

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Guarantees about what, Senator? If you are asking me: does Mr Thomson make representations—

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, that you will undertake urgent inquiries.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not going to make urgent inquiries into every representation by Mr Thomson to every minister. That would take a very long time and I am not sure on what basis I could justify that. Do Mr Thomson and every other member and senator in the parliament make representations on behalf of their electorates? Yes. The good ones do, more so than the poor ones. I assume Mr Thomson has made representations to ministers about all sorts of things. Am I going to conduct a trawling expedition to try to ascertain how many, who to and when by tomorrow for you, Senator? Obviously not. That is not a good use of ministerial or public servants' time. If you have a particular question you want to ask we will endeavour to help you with an appropriate answer. (Time expired)