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

My question is for the Minister for Youth and Sport, Senator Colbeck. I refer the minister to the now infamous colour-coded spreadsheet of applications under the corrupt sports rorts scheme, prepared by the former Minister McKenzie's office, focusing on marginal electorates held by the coalition as well as electorates to be targeted by the coalition. Has the minister seen the spreadsheet?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Farrell, for the question. It gives me a very good opportunity to extol the virtues of a program that's provided important support to communities across Australia. It's provided support to 684 grant recipients for facilities that they wouldn't have if Senator McKenzie had not made—

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

Senator Farrell, on a point of order.

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

Direct relevance—I've asked a specific question: has the minister seen the spreadsheet?

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

Senator Farrell, the specific question that you point out was proceeded by a substantial number of assertions. I believe the minister is being directly relevant by using the opportunity to address those assertions, as he is entitled to do. I've allowed you to restate that part of the question. Senator Colbeck, continue.

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said, this program will provide sporting facilities across Australia to 684 grant recipients that desperately need those projects. It's not a surprise that there was such strong demand for this. Over 2,000 applications were received, and almost a third of them were able to be funded by the decisions that Senator McKenzie made in that program. There was very, very strong demand, and I'm sure that, as we work towards opportunities in the future, there will be future—

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, I accepted your first ruling because I recognised there was a preamble—

Senator Abetz interjecting—

Good to see you too, Eric; we can talk about that too! We recognise there was some preamble. This is a matter of great public importance. This is a matter that is well known to the public and to the media. We're asking a simple question of whether this minister, who took over from Senator McKenzie, has seen the colour-coded spreadsheet.

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

I'll take Senator Cormann on the point of order.

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

Mr President, as you already noted in your previous ruling, the question included a number of assertions—false assertions, we would submit—which the minister, in a directly relevant fashion, is explaining. For example, the first assertion is about favouring marginal seats, when the Auditor-General's report clearly shows that the proportion of Labor seats under Senator McKenzie's decisions increased compared to the Sports Australia decisions.

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

It's our first question time; it's not even five past two. On the point of order, I can't instruct a minister how to answer a question, as long as the minister is directly relevant to a question, or to part of a question. I cannot instruct him to answer a preferred part of a question. Senator Cormann, you got into a bit of debate there; I'm sure the minister is able to do that. Senator Colbeck, continue.

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. Can I join with Minister Cormann in absolutely rejecting the assertions made by Senator Farrell about the program. The Auditor-General made a number of recommendations with respect to this particular program, which the government has responded to. I'm very pleased with the work that Sport Australia has already done to address the issues that the Auditor specifically made with respect to the program. There were four recommendations in the report. The government initially noted the fourth recommendation, which was specifically relating back to government, and the other three were acted on and initiated. (Time expired)

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

Senator Farrell, a supplementary question?

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

Has the minister seen the spreadsheet?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are a number of documents that relate to this particular program. I haven't seen all of them. I don't know which particular document—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order on my left! One of your colleagues is on their feet seeking to raise a point of order.

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

Did you get it in the IGB—

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

Senator Wong, order!

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did not say that.

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

Order! I didn't hear the first part. I heard one word. I will ask Senator Wong: if she feels that there was a reflection on a senator, she can withdraw it.

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

I withdraw.

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

Thank you. Senator Farrell, 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

Does it say the program was corrupt?

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

Senator Wong, Senator Farrell is on a point of order.

Senator Wong interjecting—

Honourable senators interjecting—

It's going to be a long question time if Senator Farrell can't get to his point of order. Senator Wong! On my right! Senator Farrell, on a point of order?

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

On relevance: it was a simple question, a straightforward question, and the minister knows exactly the document we're talking about.

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order.

Opposition senators interj ecting—

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

Is it on this point of order or another one? Order on my left, please!

Senator Green interjecting—

Senator Polley interjecting—

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It shows us where you priorities are—

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

Order! Senators Green and Polley! Senator Watt! Is it on this point of order or a different one, Senator Rennick?

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's to do with the process of spending government money.

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

Senator Rennick, that's a matter for debate. I'm going to rule on this point of order from Senator Farrell. On the second point you raised, Senator Farrell, I can't peer into the minister's mind and know what he knows or your assertion about that. I was listening very carefully to the minister's answer. It was, indeed, a very specific question. I believe the minister was talking about 'documents related to the program'—a phrase I think I heard him use. I'm listening very carefully, but I do believe the track he is on at the moment is directly relevant, but, I remind: it was a very specific question.

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said, there are a range of documents that relate to this program. And I have to say, if Senator Farrell is talking about the document that was in the possession of the ABC, I haven't seen that document, because the ABC hasn't published it. I have seen excerpts of the document as published by the ABC, but I have not seen the document that the ABC has. I haven't seen that document.

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order on my left! Senator Farrell, a final supplementary question?

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

I do have one. After the now famous colour-coded list was leaked to the media, Minister Colbeck publicly demanded assurances from both the Department of Health and Sport Australia that the spreadsheet did not come from them. Why is the minister publicly threatening his own agencies? Has the minister or his office requested that officials have their phones or IT equipment examined or removed?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

K (—) (): Thanks, Senator Farrell, for the question, because it is an important question. Unfortunately, I was obliged to ask the question of my secretary and of Sport Australia because there are rules, as the opposition very well knows, around the release of documents by public servants. I'm very pleased to advise the chamber that I have received advice from the Secretary of the Department of Health that they see that there is no issue with respect to the Department of Health. I'm very pleased to be able to say that: that there are no issues with the Department of Health. I've not received any advice at this point in time from Sport Australia. Although, when my office spoke to the then CEO of Sport Australia, they had already commenced a process to satisfy themselves of— (Time expired)