QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE › Minister for Small and Family Business, Skills and Vocational Education
Senator CORMANN (Western Australia—Minister for Finance and the Public Service, Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:50): I'll take that question on notice too, but let me repeat this point. I think Senator Wong is getting into very dangerous territory here. The implication of her question is that because a statement is made by an individual in a court proceeding, somehow that becomes established fact. That is not the case. Senator Jacinta Collins interjecting— Senator CORMANN: Senator Collins has just reflected on Senator Cash in an inappropriate fashion. It is of course established fact also that Senator Cash will be appearing as a subpoenaed witness in that same court on Friday. The proposition that the executive government should be providing a running commentary of statements by individual witnesses is completely inappropriate. Like all relevant ministers, both stand by the statements they've made on the public record, and the Prime Minister has full confidence in his ministers.