Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC
2:07 pm
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Brandis. Yesterday after question time the minister assured the Senate that Senator Parry never told any media he had spoken to various ministers of his concerns about his possible dual citizenship. If Senator Parry didn't tell the media, who in the government did?
George Brandis Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General
2:08 pm
I can confirm the accuracy of what I said to the Senate after question time, having heard some observations that fell from—I can't remember which opposition senators now—
Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC
Me.
George Brandis Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General
Was it you, was it? I went to the trouble of telephoning Senator Parry and putting to him specifically what had been said against him based on a misreading of an article published by Michelle Grattan in The Conversation, and Senator Parry told me and authorised me to convey to the Senate that he had never spoken to Michelle Grattan and that he had never used the words attributed to him.
Scott Ryan President, Special Minister of State
Senator Farrell, a supplementary question.
Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC
2:09 pm
At any time, up to and including today, has the minister or the Prime Minister asked Senator Parry which ministers or government colleagues he had spoken to about his dual citizenship worries other than Senator Fifield?
George Brandis Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General
I've not done so, and I'm not aware that the Prime Minister has either.
Don Farrell SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC
I have a further supplementary question: is the government's culture of cover-up so entrenched that the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Government are content to remain ignorant about who was concealing a breach of the Constitution?
George Brandis Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General
Senator Farrell, another rhetorical overreach from you. As you know, the fact is that the High Court delivered its decision in the section 44 cases, on seven references, on 27 October. As I indicated in my answer yesterday and on previous occasions, Senator Parry rang me the following Monday morning, shortly after 9 am Queensland time, to tell me that, after considering the High Court's decision, he thought he may have a problem and had taken urgent steps to make inquiries in relation to the UK Home Office.
Kim Carr Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science
He'd known for weeks.
George Brandis Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General
I take your interjection, Senator Carr. There are some who say, against our former colleague Stephen Parry, that he ought to have acted sooner. Indeed, the Prime Minister—and Senator Cormann—has made that observation. His position was that it wasn't clear to him, until the High Court had made its decision, what the position was.