Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. On Sunday, ABC Insiders program tweeted a comment critical of the government's lack of due diligence prior to handing $440 million of public money to the private Great Barrier Reef Foundation. The tweet was deleted some hours later. Yesterday, it was revealed that the tweet was deleted as a result of a complaint from the office of the Prime Minister to the ABC. Can the minister inform the Senate who in the Prime Minister's office contacted the ABC and on whose direction they acted?

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senators Abetz and Macdonald, please, there were numerous interjections during that question despite me calling order. I'm insisting on silence during questions. Senator Cormann.

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

I'm not personally aware so I'll take that question on notice.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Keneally, a supplementary question.

Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

ABC Insiders has said that they removed the tweet because a government spokesperson told them that the government had, in fact, worked with the foundation in March in order to undertake due diligence for the $444 million grant. Does the Prime Minister stand by this claim and the actions of his office?

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

As I've said in response to the primary question, I'm not aware of the events that Senator Keneally describes, so I'll add that to the question I'm taking on notice.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Keneally, a final supplementary question.

Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday the Prime Minister's office's claims about due diligence publicly collapsed within 24 hours and this morning ABC Insiders re-instated the tweet. When the Prime Minister's office contacted the ABC and misled them, was it acting deliberately or incompetently?

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

It stands to reason, given I've taken the first two questions on notice, that I do not accept the premise of Senator Keneally's question. Senator Keneally, of course, is also aware I have written to the Senate, earlier today, providing detailed information about the process the government followed in making this decision to make a $443.3 million additional investment into the future health of the Great Barrier Reef, an investment that Senator Keneally, in a great show of bipartisanship, supported through this chamber—support for which the government is very grateful. I table this letter again for the benefit of Senator Keneally.