Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. I refer to the answer the minister for urban infrastructure gave in the House yesterday about the commuter car park fund. Yesterday the minister claimed decisions were based on departmental advice, yet the Auditor-General found that not one of the 47 car parks was recommended by the department. Today Mr Morrison refused on nine occasions to say what involvement he had in deciding the car parks in target seats. At any point did Mr Morrison or his office see the list of top 20 marginal seats used to distribute funds?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

These are valuable projects for communities around Australia that the senator is asking questions about. They will provide benefits to people in a range of different communities. As is well known, they were the subject of an ANAO report. The department's accepted the recommendations of that report and begun to implement them.

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

Senator Brown, a supplementary question?

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Evidence on the public record makes clear the Prime Minister's office was directly involved in deciding grants under the Community Sport Infrastructure Grants Program, revising projects on the infamous colour coded spreadsheet. Can the minister outline the role the Prime Minister's office played in funding car parks for political gain?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's not unusual for ministers and prime ministers to be lobbied and to be engaged in relation to needs in different communities across the country.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I listen to those opposite. They have their own version of history. They fail to acknowledge the fact that Labor had its own $300 million 'park and ride' fund, don't they?

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

Senator Wong, a point of order?

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

It's on direct relevance. The Prime Minister was asked this nine times and did not answer. This minister did not answer. We are asking in this chamber what role the Prime Minister or his office played in funding these car parks.

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

On the point of order, the minister was in order until, I think, he strayed upon alternative programs, because I believe to be directly relevant one needs to be relevant to the multiple programs that were mentioned in the question.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question goes to rank hypocrisy, too, in terms of the approach of those opposite. The Prime Minister certainly played no greater role than I suspect the member for Maribyrnong did in announcing 24 such projects.

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

Senator Brown, a final supplementary question?

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today Mr Morrison claimed Australians had voted for his commuter car park fund, despite the majority of grants being approved before the election was called. This minister echoed those views recently on Insiders. Does this minister really expect Australians to accept the Morrison government using taxpayer money as Liberal Party money on the basis that rorts are okay if you're re-elected?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It seems it's okay for those on that side to throw mud about something this side of politics does in relation to funding community infrastructure and they'll call it that name. But when they were doing exactly the same thing in the lead-up to the last election it was valuable community infrastructure. It was okay for them to run around the country announcing car parks in different locations, but it's not okay for the coalition to do it!

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Before you raise a point of order, Senator Wong, you would have heard me calling for order. I couldn't hear a word that was being said. You may have better hearing than I have, but I couldn't hear a word as I was calling senators to order.

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

Mr President, I understand the sensitivity this minister has in defending this, but he has now on three occasions avoided answering a question and resorted simply to going about—

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

I ask you to resume your seat, Senator Wong. A critique of the content of an answer and whether someone asserts it is an answer or otherwise is not a matter for here. That goes to the content of an answer. Points of order are for direct relevance. I genuinely could not hear a word of Senator Birmingham's quite loud voice, as I was constantly calling senators to order. Senator Birmingham, continue.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm happy to come into this place and answer serious questions, well-intentioned questions, when questions come from people who hold consistency in relation to their position. On this matter, I just find it so hypocritical, so amazing, that those opposite—

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

A point of order on direct relevance: this question goes to the expenditure of public moneys. It is not directly relevant, within the standing orders, for him to simply talk about the Labor Party.

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

I take that point, Senator Wong, and I ruled on that point earlier. But, as I've previously ruled too, when the minister made a comment about the opposition at that point, while answering a question about his own comments that contains politically charged phrases—I think an answer of that nature is not out of order. I have consistently ruled very tightly when questions are tight, factual questions, as I did earlier this week. This was not one of those, and the minister is entitled to defend his own record and statements in a manner he sees fit when they're contained in the question.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am simply pointing out the double standard. The coalition announced policy commitments in relation to investing in community infrastructure in car parks. The Labor Party announced pre-election policy to invest in car parks— (Time expired)