Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. In refusing to stand Minister Taylor aside while he's being investigated for possible criminal behaviour by the special Strike Force Garrad, Prime Minister Morrison told the House of Representatives that he had spoken with the New South Wales police commissioner, Mick Fuller, and said:

Based on the information provided to me by the Commissioner, I consider there is no action required by me.

What additional information did the New South Wales police commissioner provide Prime Minister Morrison?

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

I would refer the senator to my answers to Senator Wong's questions and, indeed, to the Prime Minister's statement in the House of Representatives last night, which I have already previously referenced. Let's just remind ourselves again what this is about. This is one letter from a political opponent to police that the Labor Party is suggesting should be a reason to dismiss or stand aside the minister. That is just a crazy proposition. If that was the test, I suspect that the serial letter writer Mr Dreyfus would be starting to write many more letters. You can't win an election by winning the confidence of the Australian people, so you want to start sending letters to somehow lead to the immediate dismissal of a minister. That is crazy. You are so juvenile and ridiculous. The Australian people can see precisely what this is.

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

Senator O'Neill, a supplementary question?

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday Prime Minister Morrison told the House that he had:

… spoken with the New South Wales Police Commissioner Mick Fuller about the investigation and the nature and substance of their inquiries …

Today Commissioner Fuller said the Prime Minister received no more or less information than what was in the media release. Did the Prime Minister tell the parliament the truth yesterday?

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

Yes.

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

Senator O'Neill, a final supplementary question?

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given that Prime Minister Morrison is relying on his phone call with one of his best friends in refusing to stand Minister Taylor aside while being investigated for possible criminal behaviour by the New South Wales Police Force Crime Command's Financial Crime Squad special Strike Force Garrad, will the Prime Minister make public any transcript or notes taken during his phone call with New South Wales Police Commissioner Fuller?

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

I reject the premise of the question and I refer the senator to the statements that have been made by the Prime Minister on the public record—

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

There is a direct question about the Prime Minister providing notes or the transcript of the call. I ask the minister be directly relevant to that. If he isn't, it will be apparent.

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

The question contained, as I recall, a relatively extensive preamble. The minister is entitled to reject or otherwise agree with assertions contained in preambles to questions. He is being directly relevant.

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

Thank you very much, Mr President. I just say to the Australian people again: there is one letter from a political opponent sent to New South Wales police—a partisan, politically-motivated letter from the Labor Party, which couldn't convince the Australian people to elect them into government—which is now being used by the Labor Party. One letter—a politically-motivated, partisan letter from a political opponent which the Labor Party is now hanging its head on.

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

Order! Senator O'Neill, on a point of order?

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My point of order goes to direct relevance. The question is very simple: will the Prime Minister make public any transcript or notes taken during his phone call with New South Wales Police Commissioner Fuller. There was no other question, Mr President. That was it.

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

Senator O'Neill, I made my rulings prior to this. I ask senators, when they're raising points of order, to not simply restate but make the point about direct relevance.

Senator Wong interjecting—

Senator Wong, I'm ruling. Senator Cormann is entitled to address the preamble as much as he is entitled to address the question. Senator Cormann.

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

Thank you very much, Mr President. The Prime Minister made an undertaking to the House of Representatives yesterday. He fulfilled that undertaking and he reported back to the House of Representatives. This is just a politically motivated Labor Party smear—nothing more, nothing less.