Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. The member for Chisholm confirmed in a statement yesterday that she held membership of an organisation linked to China's foreign influence operation, the Guangdong Overseas Exchange Association, less than 24 hours after telling Sky News she could not recall being part of it. What changed?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) | Link to this | Hansard source

It actually does happen that people, when they give interviews, don't recall all of the events of the past and that, on reflection and on verifying their records and their information, become aware of the actual facts and clarify the situation, which is precisely what the member for Chisholm did and which is the appropriate thing to do. Incidentally, the Labor candidate for the seat of Chisholm at the last election, also of Chinese origin, had a similar experience where she equally had forgotten or was not aware that she had been made the honorary chairman of a particular organisation, the United Chinese Commerce Association of Australia, and, on reflection, realised that she had been. The truth of the matter is that the member for Chisholm has issued a statement which clarifies all these matters. This is now just a Labor smear.

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

Senator Farrell, a supplementary question?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I do have one. Ms Liu's statement yesterday also confirmed that she held membership of the United Chinese Commerce Association, less than 24 hours after denying membership on Sky News. What changed?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer Senator Farrell to my previous answer. What I would also point out is that the member for Chisholm, like her challenger from the Labor Party at the last election, was actively involved in the Chinese community in Australia. The smear that the Labor Party is pursuing against the member for Chisholm is a smear against all 1.2 million Australians of Chinese descent, and the Labor Party—

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

Senator Wong, on a point of order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) | Link to this | Hansard source

I would ask that that be withdrawn. It cannot possibly be a smear and that is an inappropriate thing for the minister to say.

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

I appreciate that you may challenge what the minister said, but—and I'll come to the chamber and correct it if I'm incorrect—off the top of my head, I don't believe that was an unparliamentary reflection on any individual member of parliament nor unparliamentary language.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) | Link to this | Hansard source

My name is Wong.

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

We have traditionally required more specificity when it comes to unparliamentary reflections. That was a statement in the broad. I appreciate that it may be a debating point. I will check the Hansard and precedent and come back to the chamber if I'm different, but we've always had the view that general statements—for example, about a group of people in a political party—can be said, but, if they were said about one person, would meet the test that requires withdrawal as unparliamentary language.

Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order: what Senator Cormann is alleging is incomprehensible—that Senator Wong, as a Chinese Australian, would perpetrate a smear on herself. That is what he is alleging here. Quite frankly, Mr President, I ask you to review your ruling. The questions the opposition have legitimately posed today about reports relating to foreign interference to a specific member of parliament have been extrapolated by Senator Cormann to the Labor Party committing a smear across all Chinese Australians, which would include Senator Wong. It is an incomprehensible and absurd position to assert that that does not apply to Senator Wong.

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order: Mr President, I think you've being quite liberal during this question time as the opposition has pursued a number of questions raising imputations about a member of the other chamber. We have taken those questions, we have answered those questions, and I think you have been right to liberally apply that. For the Labor Party to now be so defensive about a general point here is not appropriate at all, and it would not be a consistent application of the standards during this question time if this point were to be upheld.

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

I gave him the same generosity I provided Senator Keneally. On the issue of the point of order that Senator Keneally raises: I will, as I said, review the exact words Senator Cormann used, but, even in the words you restated, which, if they were the words he used, in my view—and, again, I'll correct it if the precedent directs me otherwise—a general comment of that nature does not qualify as unparliamentary or an imputation or reflection upon an individual. We have traditionally required that it be more specific about a person. It may be a legitimate debating point, but I do not believe that it is unparliamentary. I'll happily correct myself if I'm wrong. Had you concluded your answer, Senator Cormann?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

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

We are up to Senator Farrell's final supplementary.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) | Link to this | Hansard source

I do have one. Given that every answer from Ms Liu raises more questions, when will the Prime Minister assure the parliament and the Australian people that she is a fit and proper person to be a member of the Australian parliament?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) | Link to this | Hansard source

I completely reject the premise of the question. Furthermore, the member for Chisholm has been validly elected as the member for Chisholm by the people of Chisholm. That is something that the Labor Party cannot accept. As I've already indicated, the Prime Minister has full confidence in the member for Chisholm.

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.