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

My question is to the Cabinet Secretary, Senator Sinodinos. I refer to the New South Wales Electoral Commission statement on the New South Wales Liberal Party regarding the use of the Free Enterprise Foundation:

… to channel and disguise donations by major political donors some of whom were prohibited donors.

I further note the statement's reference to the involvement of senior party officials, including Mr Sinodinos, in arrangements relating to the foundation, and I also refer the Cabinet Secretary to his response on 26 March 2016 denying 'any wrongdoing or illegality'. Does the Cabinet Secretary stand by this statement?

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I do stand by that statement. The Electoral Commission in New South Wales has to deal with disclosures of donations and associated funding matters. I wrote to the commission after they put certain stuff out. That response is on the website. That response goes over my evidence before the Independent Commission Against Corruption in New South Wales. I stand by that evidence. I am not going to rehearse all of that evidence in here. There is not enough time. The evidence is there. I stand by that evidence. I stand by that letter, which has been published on their website, and I thank them for the fact that they gave me the courtesy of publishing that response.

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

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Did the Cabinet Secretary ever participate in or witness discussions about the use of the Free Enterprise Foundation to channel and disguise donations by prohibited donors?

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have just answered the question. My evidence was that I was never involved in any such process of using some subterfuge to channel donations for a state election in New South Wales.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. A point of order, Senator Wong?

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

My point of order is relevance. I did not ask about any such process. I asked a very specific question: did the Cabinet Secretary ever participation in or witness discussions about the use of the FEF to channel and disguise donations by prohibited donors?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brandis, on the point of order?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, the minister has referred to evidence he provided during the course of those hearings, and he has said that he stands by that evidence. It is perfectly appropriate for a person responding to a question of this kind, which has been the subject of an inquiry by a body like ICAC, to refer to evidence and to affirm it.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not believe there is a point of order, Senator Wong, as the Cabinet Secretary has, in my understanding, denied the allegation you have put to him. Senator Sinodinos, did you wish to add anything further to your answer?

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No.

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

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Has the Cabinet Secretary taken any action to support or encourage the full disclosure of donors who made donations to the New South Wales Liberal Party through the Free Enterprise Foundation?

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is a matter for the New South Wales division of the party, which, I understand, is cooperating with the Electoral Commission.

An opposition senator: You were their official at the time.

We are talking about now.

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

Yes.

Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And that is my answer.