Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
2:00 pm
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. An Auditor-General's report into Tourism Australia during Prime Minister Morrison's term as its managing director between 2004 and 2006 shows numerous anomalies and concerns over contracts worth $184 million. Can the minister confirm that, in the period leading up to Prime Minister Morrison's dismissal as Managing Director of Tourism Australia, his agency faced a series of audits and a review of its contractual processes ordered by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet amidst serious concerns about its governance?
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council
2:01 pm
I take that question on notice.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Can the minister also confirm that the Auditor-General found that, while Prime Minister Morrison was Managing Director of Tourism Australia, information was kept from the board and procurement guidelines were breached?
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council
2:02 pm
What I can confirm is that the Prime Minister has a great commitment to the future success of our tourism sector. It's a very important sector in the Australian economy. Many small businesses across the Australian economy have benefited from the Prime Minister's strong commitment—for example, to ensure that small businesses in the tourism sector have access to an internationally more competitive business tax rate, which is something that Labor initially opposed and then decided to support.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
It's on direct relevance, Mr President. The question was about the Prime Minister keeping information from the board and failing to follow procurement guidelines. It had nothing to do with tax rates.
Scott Ryan President
Senator Cormann, Senator Wong has reminded the Senate of the question. I note you have 30 seconds remaining to answer the question.
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council
In relation to matters to do with the report by the Auditor-General, I have already taken the substantive question on notice. I'm now just making the broader point that the Prime Minister has a longstanding outstanding track record in supporting a vibrant tourism industry for Australia as a very important part of a successful Australian economy. (Time expired)
Government senators interjecting—
Scott Ryan President
Order! During questions I ask for silence from both sides of the chamber. Senator Wong, a final supplementary question.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
2:03 pm
Can the minister confirm that the Auditor-General found that Tourism Australia, whilst Prime Minister Morrison was its managing director, requested that tenderers commence work on contracts worth $184 million before contracts were even executed and that Tourism Australia's risk mitigation was—and I quote the Auditor-General—'ineffective'?
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council
I don't have the report that Senator Wong is quoting from in front of me. I will not take her quotes, which most probably are taken out of context, on face value. I will seek advice and get back to the chamber.