Kimberley Kitching (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Accountability) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. I refer the minister to the report 'Liberal MP Liu linked to donor at centre of cash drop inquiry', published in The Sydney Morning Herald and a report in TheAge today. Brighsun, the company subject to a drug trafficking and money laundering probe by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, donated $105,000 to the Liberal Party just months earlier. What steps has the Prime Minister taken to investigate links between the Minister for Health and the member for Chisholm and Brighsun?

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

All political donations received by candidates of political parties obviously have to be received and declared, consistent with our relevant laws. That is the responsibility of political parties and individual candidates. I'm not aware of the circumstances she's describing. I'll take on notice whether there's anything else that I can add to that answer. But, again, let me just say what I've said on a number of occasions before: don't always believe what you read in newspapers.

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

Senator Kitching, a supplementary question?

Kimberley Kitching (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Accountability) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Chisholm has said that: 'I helped Brighsun talk to ministers. I helped them to invite the minister to come to their launch—Greg Hunt.' What steps has the Prime Minister taken to determine Ms Liu's knowledge of the activities of Brighsun, a company subject to a drug trafficking and money laundering probe by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission?

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

The first point I would make is that there is nothing unusual about ministers being invited to attend events. I'm not aware of the specific circumstances that Senator Kitching is describing there, and I'll take that question on notice.

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

Senator Kitching, a final supplementary question?

Kimberley Kitching (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Accountability) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Brighsun CEO Charles Brent, has said:

Gladys did a very good job ... she was instrumental in helping us get access, like any good lobbyist would, and that was her job … At the time she was doing fundraising for the Liberal Party …

Can the Prime Minister guarantee that no member of the Liberal Party was aware of the source of the $105,000 donation donated to the party by Brighsun?

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

Again, I'm not aware. Obviously all political parties have to receive and declare political donations, consistent with our electoral laws. I am confident that is what the Liberal Party does and, I would like to think, all other political parties do—

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

Order! Senator Wong on a point of order.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong wants to object to that.

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

Order!

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

I'll take the interjection, Mr President.

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

It would be helpful if you wouldn't, and we could go to the point of order, Senator Wong.

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

Go on, let me!

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

Mr President, this is an important matter. It is not just a matter of what the donations laws are. This goes to whether the Prime Minister is aware of any of his ministers or members being aware that the donation came from a company that was under investigation by the AFP and the Criminal Intelligence Commission. I'd ask the minister, on this issue, to be directly relevant to that point.

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

On the point of order: the minister had previously spoken about matters that I did believe were directly relevant and took them on notice. He had been speaking for 17 seconds. I was going to give him the opportunity to continue his answer.

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 make a statement of the obvious: obviously I'm not aware of what other people might or might not be aware of. I've made that very clear, which is why I've taken relevant parts of the question, in relation to circumstances being described that I'm not aware of, on notice. I make the general point that of course all parties and all candidates have to comply with our electoral laws when it comes to receiving and declaring political donations. I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.