Anne Ruston SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care
2:00 pm
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Yesterday, in relation to the Prime Minister's honorary membership of the Marrickville golf club, which was given $6 million of taxpayer funded grant by his government despite no other golf club in Australia receiving similar treatment, the Prime Minister said he doesn't have a card as a member of the club, he doesn't know the executive of the club and he doesn't use the facilities. A video has now surfaced of the Prime Minister addressing members of the Marrickville golf club in 2019 in which he says:
I've been coming here for decades and using this club.
Was the Prime Minister telling the truth in the parliament in 2019 when he addressed the members of the Marrickville golf club?
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
2:01 pm
Because of some of the interjections, I didn't hear the beginning of the question. But as I—
Sure, ask it again, Senator, if you're so keen.
Sue Lines President
Order! I think I'm running the chamber. Senator Ruston, if you would, just do the first sentence.
Anne Ruston SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care
Yesterday, in relation to the Prime Minister's honorary membership of the Marrickville golf club, which was given $6 million of taxpayer funded grant by his government despite no other golf club in Australia receiving similar treatment, the Prime Minister said—
Sue Lines President
I think the minister heard the rest. I would ask for people to be silent so I can hear the answers.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Thank you very much. I was trying to understand if the assertion was that I had said it or if the senator was referring to what the Prime Minister said. I would say first that I will refer to you to the Prime Minister's answers in the other place, where he has detailed—and I'm sure will have the opportunity again today to detail—responses to some of these questions.
I'm going to also respond to the assertion in that question about the grant and the grant being given. I just want to say this. What we have here is the delivery of an election commitment. I'd make the point to those opposite that election commitments—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Senators:
Opposition senators interjecting—
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
I would make the point to those opposite that the Audit Office has said that a properly designed and administered grants program is the—
Anne Ruston SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care
On a matter of—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Hon. Senators:
Honourable senators interjecting—
Sue Lines President
I'm very sorry, Senator Ruston. I can't hear a word you're saying.
Anne Ruston SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care
On relevance, I was simply asking whether the Prime Minister misled the parliament.
Sue Lines President
The minister is being relevant to your question, and I'll continue to listen carefully.
Matt O'Sullivan WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Choice in Childcare and Early Learning
On a point of order, Senator Ayres has a prop.
Sue Lines President
Senator Ayres, perhaps you could just put it down in the interests of the chamber. Thank you.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Are those your election commitments? You're very sensitive about them, if so. You're very sensitive about your election commitments. How interesting that you were so sensitive about that! I didn't actually notice. I did not actually notice that he had them, but now I understand the sensitivity.
Sue Lines President
Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Ruston?
Anne Ruston SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care
I'm just seeking clarification from you, President, as to whether the minister is responding to the point of order that was raised by Senator O'Sullivan, in which case I'd ask for the clock to be reset, so maybe she might answer my question.
Sue Lines President
Senator Ruston, the minister was continuing her answer, and I am going to draw the minister back to your question.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
What I was saying is that this is the delivery of an election commitment that was transparently made and transparently committed to. The Audit Office has said a properly designed and administered grants program is the—
Anne Ruston SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care
President, with the greatest amount of respect, the minister's answer is not relevant to the question I asked.
Sue Lines President
Senator Ruston, I beg to differ. The minister is being relevant to your question, and I'll continue to listen carefully.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
An assertion about 'given' was made in the question. I'm entitled to respond to that, and that is what I'm doing. I again say the Auditor-General has said properly designed and administered grants programs are the way governments can deliver their election commitments. That is what we did. They've also indicated that grants to deliver election commitments should follow proper processes in accordance with the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles, and that is what we did. (Time expired)
Anne Ruston SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care
2:05 pm
Yesterday, the Prime Minister also told the parliament, in relation to the Marrickville Golf Club:
... I don't do anything whatsoever for it.
But the same video from 2019 shows the Prime Minister promising a $350,000 grant to the club so it can host more events. Is promising to give the club $350,000 if Labor wins the election not doing 'anything whatsoever' for the club?
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
The Prime Minister is the member for Grayndler, and he is someone who believes in supporting his community. I would make the point—a number of points. The first is that I understand this grant also includes pedestrian and bike access and sewerage works to protect the environment. I would also remind you that some other election commitments included the ones I mentioned yesterday—to St Vincent de Paul and the Leichhardt women's health centre.
Anne Ruston SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care
Once again on relevance, I was talking about a comment from 2019 about a grant of $350,000, not the current grant round.
Sue Lines President
Thank you, Senator Ruston. The minister is being relevant. The minister is entitled to take the whole of your question into account, and that is what the minister is doing.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
I'd make this point—through you, President. Members of parliament make election commitments, and often those are delivered. For example, the member for Groom, Garth Hamilton, announced an election commitment to upgrade the Black Gully Linear Corridor Park for $1.8 million. Despite not winning the election, on 11 February a grant was approved for this commitment—your commitment—under the Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program. (Time expired)
Anne Ruston SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care
2:07 pm
When asked yesterday about why he didn't declare his honorary membership of the Marrickville Golf Club, the Prime Minister told the parliament he didn't declare the membership because 'I don't play golf'. If the Prime Minister doesn't think he needs to declare a golf club membership because 'I don't play golf', why did he then declare on his parliamentary register of interests that he is an honorary member of the Royal Sydney Golf Club?
Bridget McKenzie Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development
Turns out he is a bit posh—Royal Sydney!
Sue Lines President
Senator Mckenzie, don't continue with the running commentary.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs
2:08 pm
The Prime Minister discloses in accordance with the obligations that are incumbent upon him to the House of Representatives and under the ministerial code. What I would also say to those opposite is what I have said earlier. These are election commitments that were transparently, clearly committed to the Australian people. We ran on those publicly, we were elected to deliver them and we followed proper processes to deliver those commitments—
An honourable senator: Unlike you!
Unlike you—in accordance with the Commonwealth grant rules and principles following the government's re-election. That was transparent. This is the same program, and I am very happy to tell you some of the other Liberal commitments which were also delivered under this program.