Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. On the ABC 7.30 program last Monday, the minister twice refused to rule out having been involved in the Western Australia Liberal Party's preference deal with One Nation. Last night, when asked whether reports your colleague Senator Cash—

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

A point of order, Senator Brandis.

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

There is no respect in which this question goes to the Finance portfolio or any portfolio that Senator Cormann represents in this chamber.

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

Senator Brandis, you are correct in relation to the portfolio. However, the minister has made public statements and the minister can be questioned on public statements, so the question will be in order on that front.

Senator Sterle interjecting—

Order, Senator Sterle!

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You were Pauline Hanson's Uber driver!

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

Order, Senator Sterle! Senator Pratt, you are in order; you can continue.

Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last night when asked whether reports Senator Cash met with One Nation to get the preference deal over the line are correct, Senator Cash herself said, 'Yes, they are incorrect.' Why is Senator Cormann unable to rule out his involvement in the same way as Senator Cash?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I would say to Senator Pratt is: 'You really have to get a life.' You would think that the WA Labor Party lost the election. This is how you behave when you win an election—unbelievable. What Senator Pratt has said misrepresents what I actually said on the 7.30 report. It is no secret that I maintain professional and courteous relationships with three current One Nation senators represented in this chamber. That is part of my job, and I maintain courteous and professional relationships with other senators in this chamber, including Labor and Greens senators—

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

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

I appreciate the long discussion about who his friends are, but Senator Cormann—

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

The point of order is direct relevance. Thank you for your assistance, Senator Macdonald, as always. The question to Senator Cormann was: why is he unable to rule out his involvement in the preference deal in the way that his colleague did? He was given an opportunity on the 7.30 report. He twice failed to do so. He has an opportunity today.

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

Thank you, Senator Wong. In relation to the point of order, Senator Wong, the minister did at the outset reject the premise of the question and the misrepresentation of his statement, and the minister has been relevant to the question. The question allows the minister to be fairly broad ranging in his response.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is really interesting to see what the priorities are for the Australian Labor Party. Here we have important discussions about the future of our economy and the future of the security of our nation and all the WA Labor Party can bring into this chamber is the discussion of preferences. Let me say what I have consistently said—preference arrangements are a matter for the Liberal Party organisations. That is the way it was handled on this occasion. It is a matter of public record that the WA Liberal Party state executive made certain decisions. That is of course entirely appropriate. I have nothing further to add.

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

Senator Pratt, a supplementary question.

Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer the minister to his remarks on the day after the Western Australian election where he continued to make statements in defence of the preference deal. Why does the minister disagree with Senator Hanson, who has labelled the deal a mistake and said that she is warry of doing future preference deals with the Liberal Party?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As helpful as I would seek to be in this forum and as I always seek to be, I cannot possibly answer a question on behalf of Senator Hanson, so I will not even try. In relation to my own statements, all of my statements are on the public record.

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

Senator Pratt, a final supplementary question.

Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the architect of the preference deal with One Nation, does the minister agree with his colleague Senator Cash, who when asked about reaching a similar preference deal at the federal level said, 'Well, you never rule anything out'?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Pratt is again misleading the chamber because what I have made very clear, including yesterday, is that any proposition which has been reported from time to time that I somehow was the architect of preference arrangements with anyone, including with One Nation, is false. I was definitely not the architect of any preference arrangements. Preference arrangements are a matter for the party organisation, which guards that responsibility jealously, as is appropriate. So I would say to Senator Pratt, 'Don't mislead the chamber.' The other thing I would say is that it is time that the WA Labor Party actually started to focus on what they were elected to do and that is to serve the people of Western Australia instead of pursuing petty juvenile university politics.