Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question without notice is to the Assistant Treasurer and relates to his responsibilities for business law and practice. I again refer the Assistant Treasurer to his statement to the Senate on 28 February 2013, in which he said:

I played no role in the awarding of the January 2012 contract to AWH by Sydney Water.

Did the Assistant Treasurer stand to receive a personal benefit if Australian Water Holdings were awarded this contract?

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I stand by what I said to the Senate: I played no role in the awarding of that contract. If you are referring to the fact that I registered on my Senate members' interests statement an interest in Australian Water Holdings, which I subsequently repudiated—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why are you ducking the question?

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not ducking any question.

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

Order! If you wish to debate the issue, debate it after three o'clock.

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I repudiated that shareholding for reasons which have to do with the presence of the Obeids in that company. The fact of the matter is that I played no role in the awarding of the contract because I had entered the Senate and it was not appropriate for me to be involved in the work of that organisation any longer. I resigned as a director on 2 November 2011.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Does the Assistant Treasurer still try to maintain that he did not know the Obeids were involved in owning one-third of the company? Does the Assistant Treasurer stand to gain a parcel of shares worth approximately—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order on both sides!

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Did the Assistant Treasurer stand to gain a parcel of shares worth approximately $3.5 million if the Australian Water Holding company entered into a contract with Sydney Water?

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! I remind the Senate again that the question need only be addressed in so much as it pertains to the portfolio.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. In the interjections that just occurred Senator Brandis made an extraordinary allegation to Senator Carr. I would ask him to withdraw it.

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

Because of the general disorder at that stage I did not hear a specific comment.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am inviting Senator Brandis to withdraw the assertion about who put Senator Carr into parliament and the suggestion about criminals. He ought to withdraw that interjection.

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

Your former national president is in jail.

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order on both sides! I made it quite clear that I did not hear anything that might have been said by Senator Brandis. I invite Senator Brandis, if he did make such a claim, to withdraw it. That is the invitation. I have done that previously on other occasions.

Honourable senators interjecting—

I have made the comment prior to calling the minister.

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I reject the premise of the question. I was no longer involved in the company and no longer involved in trying to negotiate contracts. And, while I am on my feet, there are plenty of people on that side who can tell us more about the Obeids than I could ever do.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order on my right and on my left!

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a further supplementary question. Did the Assistant Treasurer, at any stage disclose his pecuniary interests in Australian Water Holdings, and its contractual dealings, to the chairman of Sydney Water, the New South Wales Premier or the New South Wales Minister for Finance? If not, why not?

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

Again, I preface this answer with the statement I have made consistently. The minister need address that question in so much as it applies to the portfolio.

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The only point I will make is that it was very clear from any correspondence I have ever had with any organisation or on behalf of any organisation on whose behalf I am acting. It would be the same in that particular case. That is a most peculiar question. I think question time should be about policy. You are talking about a series of circumstances before I entered this house and about which I made a disclosure. This faux controversy does not reflect well on the interest of the opposition in policy, I have to say.