Senate debates

Tuesday, 13 September 2016

Questions without Notice

Attorney-General

2:48 pm

Photo of Doug CameronDoug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. In relation to the Attorney-General's appointment of Mr Tavoularis to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, we now know that the Attorney-General has known Mr Tavoularis for many years. Mr Tavoularis previously acted for the Attorney-General's son in criminal proceedings. Mr Tavoularis has made a donation to the Liberal Party of Queensland, and the Attorney-General personally approached Mr Tavoularis for appointment to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Does the Attorney-General stand by his statement, 'There is no conflict of interest whatsoever'?

2:49 pm

Photo of George BrandisGeorge Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes.

Photo of Doug CameronDoug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | | Hansard source

I have a supplementary question. I refer to media reports that indicate that Mr Tavoularis acted for the Attorney-General's son, who was being prosecuted for wilful damage to property. Did the Attorney-General have any role in arranging for Mr Tavoularis to represent his son, and was Mr Tavoularis paid full commercial rates for the legal work?

2:50 pm

Photo of George BrandisGeorge Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | | Hansard source

I will not dignify that disgusting question with an answer.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! And order on my right—how can I deal with interjections when I cannot hear them because of the interjections close to me? Senator Wong, do you have a point of order?

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

Yes, I do. They should withdraw calling Senator Cameron a grub. It was done repeatedly. Mr President, in question time you do have to protect senators to some extent.

Honourable senators interjecting

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! If any senator used those words I would expect that senator to withdraw. I did not personally hear them.

Photo of Barry O'SullivanBarry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I withdraw that you are a grub.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Senator O'Sullivan, could I ask you to withdraw, and do not repeat the phrase.

Photo of Barry O'SullivanBarry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Photo of Ian MacdonaldIan Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

If 'grub' is unparliamentary, I did use that against Senator Cameron, and I withdraw.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Order! I remind senators that it is not so much the word that is used; it is also the context in which it is used.

Honourable senators interjecting

Order! Senator McGrath.

Photo of James McGrathJames McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

I withdraw the use of 'grub'.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator McGrath. Senator Nash.

Photo of Fiona NashFiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | | Hansard source

I also withdraw the use of 'grub'.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Thank you. Senator Scullion.

Photo of Nigel ScullionNigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | | Hansard source

I withdraw, Mr President.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Thank you. Senator Williams.

Photo of John WilliamsJohn Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I withdraw, Mr President.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Senator Hume.

Photo of Jane HumeJane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I withdraw too, Mr President.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Hume. Senator Cameron, a final supplementary question.

Honourable senators interjecting

Order on both sides!

Photo of Ian MacdonaldIan Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

What a disgusting excuse for a human being!

2:52 pm

Photo of Doug CameronDoug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | | Hansard source

I think that might be a record number of withdrawals.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

To the question, Senator Cameron.

Photo of Doug CameronDoug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | | Hansard source

Of those the Attorney-General has appointed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, how many has he known for 'many years' and how many have made donations to the Liberal National Party of Queensland?

2:53 pm

Photo of George BrandisGeorge Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | | Hansard source

Senator Cameron, there are many people who I approach to be judges or members of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal whom I know personally. There are many because, frankly, there are very few prominent members of the legal profession—certainly, in my own home city of Brisbane—whom I do not know personally. It is hardly a disqualification for a person who is a suitable candidate for judicial office that they happen to know the Attorney-General of the day.

Photo of Doug CameronDoug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | | Hansard source

I raise a point of order.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Attorney-General, have you concluded your answer?

Photo of George BrandisGeorge Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Do you still wish to raise a point of order, Senator Cameron?

Photo of Doug CameronDoug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | | Hansard source

It was on relevance. There were two aspects to the question. One was that the Attorney-General address the issue of many years' knowledge—

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting

but he did not go to the issue of donations to the Liberal Party.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Senator Cameron, there is no point of order. The Attorney-General did address the question and he had concluded. Senator Bilyk, did you have a point of order?

Photo of Catryna BilykCatryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr President, I overheard Senator Macdonald calling Senator Cameron 'a disgusting excuse for a human being', and it is the second time I have heard in the past few minutes. I would like him to withdraw.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald, if you did make an unparliamentary comment, I would appreciate it if you would withdraw.

Photo of Ian MacdonaldIan Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Well, I certainly did use those words, Mr President, and I stand by them. But if you say they are unparliamentary, I will withdraw.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Macdonald. Senator O'Sullivan.

Photo of Barry O'SullivanBarry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr President, I used them too, and I will withdraw.

Photo of Stephen ParryStephen Parry (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator O'Sullivan.