This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2019/nov/27/coalition-labor-westpac-morrison-albanese-politics-live
The article has changed 19 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 10 | Version 11 |
|---|---|
| Thousands of doctors appeal to Jacqui Lambie ‘to save medevac’ – question time live | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| More than 5,000 doctors urge senator to ‘show humanity’ as Labor continues to pursue Angus Taylor. All the day’s events, live | More than 5,000 doctors urge senator to ‘show humanity’ as Labor continues to pursue Angus Taylor. All the day’s events, live |
| We are heading into the chamber for question time. | |
| Gee, I wonder what it could be about? | |
| On his Facebook page Barnaby Joyce has made an impassioned plea for people to join the Nationals - warning it will lose its registration this week if it doesn’t boost its numbers: | |
| And the back end: | |
| What about the task force? | |
| Fuller: It is a very small strike force because we are looking at the technical aspects of the allegation. From my perspective the scrutiny on us means that I want the matter finished as quickly as possible but we need to do a professional job but obviously when there’s and I normal use amount of public interest I feel as though in the fairness of everyone we need to wrap this matter up as quickly as possible. | |
| Q: You are on the record as previously saying that Scott Morrison used to bring your bins in on rubbish night. What would you say to the suggestion that, in fact, your relationship is closer than you are suggesting that you are actually mates? | |
| Fuller: It was a joke that I had with Ben Fordham on the radio and Ben took that and probably used that. From my perspective that was just a joke. | |
| Of course he has never brought my bins in. I never had his number in my phone so from my perspective it is right for people to judge that but I didn’t have his contact and I think that speaks volumes. I have never been to his house. I have never been to The Lodge I have never had a personal invitation from him to join his family or friends. Our relationship is a professional one. | |
| Q: Did the Prime Minister ask to be kept updated by you? | |
| Fuller: Not at all. I just gave him an assurance that we would move the matter as quickly as possible and I didn’t say that was because of any particular person. | |
| To be honest with you, these types of investigations can consume an enormous amount of resources from New South Wales police and they area great diverter of my time. There is a whole range of reasons why I want the matter finished quickly but professionally and many of those are selfish. | |
| Back to the Mick Fuller press conference: | |
| Q: Are the police investigating the minister Angus Taylor for anything which might potentially... ? | |
| Fuller: At this stage the allegation itself is around a complex piece of criminal law. We are unsure at this stage, even if we have reached a benchmark of it being a criminal matter, now that needs to be the first port of call, is this a criminal matter or is it not but again, I feel as though it was in the public’s interest that I acted on what was a well-constructed letter from the Shadow Attorney-General and from New South Wales police perspective I need to make sure we act openly and ethically with all members of our community. | |
| Q: Do you think having a personal relationship with the Prime Minister played a role in him calling you directly? | |
| Fuller: | |
| I tell you this, I received three missed calls from a phone number I don’t have in my phone. I don’t have the prime minister’s number. | |
| He is my local member and I have met him a few times - I have never had dinner at the Lodge with him or been to his premises. Am I proud that our local member is the Prime Minister, yes, I am, but I certainly don’t have a personal relationship with the Prime Minister. | |
| Q: Have any other Prime Ministers talked to you directly while you are in the job? | |
| Fuller: I have spoken to previous Prime Ministers in relation to matters of public safety and other matters of interest. From time to time the Premier calls me and from time to time Opposition Leaders and cabinet members and journalists call me as well. | |
| Obviously, the bins are not the most important aspect of this, but I cannot stop laughing that we are having a conversation involving the highest levels of executive and police powers involving taking wheelie bins in. | |
| Mick Fuller says he was joking when he told Ben Fordham late last year that Scott Morrison used to take his bins in. | |
| Q: You are on the record as previously saying that Scott Morrison used to bring your bins in on rubbish night. What would you say to the suggestion that, in fact, your relationship is closer than you are suggesting, that you are actually mates? | |
| Fuller: It was a joke that I had with Ben Fordham on the radio and Ben took that and probably used that. From my perspective that was just a joke. Of course he has never brought my bins in. I never had his number in my phone so from my perspective it is right for people to judge that but I didn’t have his contact and I think that speaks volumes. I have never been to his house. I have never been to the Lodge, I have never had a personal invitation from him to join his family or friends. Our relationship is a professional one. | |
| BUT Ben Fordham spoke to Scott Morrison in December last year, a few days after his interview with Fuller, and Morrison confirmed he used to take the bins in. | |
| From the PMO transcript: | |
| FORDHAM: She’s fantastic. You have just been raised in a conversation with Mick Fuller, the NSW police commissioner. | |
| PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, good bloke. | |
| FORDHAM: Because, once upon a time when you were neighbours, according to the commissioner, and I think this has been confirmed, you used to bring his bin in. When he’d leave the bin outside, the wheelie bin outside, and he was too lazy himself to bring it in, you would collect his bin and wheel it in for him. True or false? | |
| [Laughter] | |
| PRIME MINISTER: That’s what good neighbours do. That’s what they do. Mick is a great bloke and that’s the Shire way. | |
| FORDHAM: How come you don’t do it any more? | |
| PRIME MINISTER: Well, I don’t take the bins out any more. | |
| Mick Fuller is holding a press conference: | |
| For the sake of accuracy and fairness, I am compelled to tell you that Josh Frydenberg’s announcement about coming to terms on the business growth investment fund was on the front page of the Daily Telegraph today, and is being run on radio bulletins. | |
| So some people care. | |
| Scott Morrison in 2019 (when talking about people not dressing appropriately for Australia Day citizenship ceremonies): | |
| He was asked about that statement a few days later during an ABC interview and said: | |
| After the change of business motion which went through yesterday, the Senate will sit until midnight tonight, or until the second reading debate is done, whichever is sooner. | After the change of business motion which went through yesterday, the Senate will sit until midnight tonight, or until the second reading debate is done, whichever is sooner. |
| And Christian Porter gets to tick something off his list. He might even reward himself with a carb. He’s earned it. | And Christian Porter gets to tick something off his list. He might even reward himself with a carb. He’s earned it. |