Katy Gallagher ACT, Australian Labor Party
2:46 pm
My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. I refer to the Attorney-General's statement to the Senate regarding the Bell Group matter in which he referenced the summary briefing and slide show provided to the Minister for Social Services by the Western Australian government. At any point have you seen the slide show or any part of it?
George Brandis Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General
2:47 pm
I have not seen the slide show as a matter of fact. But I can tell you, Senator Gallagher, that the documents given to Mr Porter contain material that was protected by the legal professional privilege of the Western Australian State Solicitor. Neither Mr Porter nor I are at liberty to waive the privilege of the Western Australian State Solicitor without his authority and we do not have his authority to do so.
Katy Gallagher ACT, Australian Labor Party
How did you become aware of the existence of the slide show?
George Brandis Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General
As I said in my statement, Mr Porter referred to it during our meeting in my office on 3 March.
Stephen Parry President
Senator Gallagher, a final supplementary question.
Katy Gallagher ACT, Australian Labor Party
Given that the briefing and the slide show were so convincing that the Minister for Social Services lobbied his colleagues on behalf of the Western Australian government to do Australian taxpayers out of $300 million, will the Attorney-General undertake to table the briefing and the slide show and to seek approval from the Western Australian government to do so?
George Brandis Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General
2:48 pm
Senator, just bear with me and I will find the reference in my statement to the document to which you refer. What I told the Senate and what I can repeat is that Mr Porter visited me on 3 March this year. It was in the early evening. He told me that on 2 March 2016 his office had received an email from the Western Australian State Solicitor containing a summary briefing and slide show of the history of the matter as well as copies of the exchange of letters between Dr Nahan and Mr Hockey.