QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator GALLAGHER (Australian Capital Territory—Minister for Finance, Minister for the Public Service, Minister for Women, Minister for Government Services and Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (14:28): I thank Senator Pocock for the question, and I acknowledge her work along with Senator Deb O'Neill, Senator Paul Scarr and Senator Colbeck in relation to PwC and looking at the consultancy sector—and, in this case, the accounting and auditing sector—and the behaviour and ethics of some of the companies involved in that.

In relation to the contracts that currently engage the Public Service or the public sector—various entities—with KPMG, we have not been made aware of any— The PRESIDENT: Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Pocock? Senator Barbara Pocock: Point of order on relevance: my question was very specifically about a $1.3 million contract to train the senior Public Service in ethics and leadership.

Is it the minister's opinion that that's a problem? The PRESIDENT: Senator Pocock, the minister went directly to that question. Minister, please continue.

Senator GALLAGHER: Yes, I was just getting to that. And Senator Pocock knows that the contracts, which existed prior to Senator O'Neill's contribution in this place to raise concerns that the whistleblower had made, were entered into prior to this time. We also have no evidence that any of the unethical behaviour that we have seen raised through the committee that Senator O'Neill chairs has been involved in any of the contracts that exist across government.

Senator Pocock sought through a question I got in the media for me to cancel contracts. Now, that is against the law. So Senator Pocock is asking me to break the law, because ministers have no role in procurement—none—nor should they.

But also, if indeed I did break the law and say that this contract should be cancelled, it would have no legal effect. For all the grandstanding in the world, Senator Pocock, I cannot do what you're asking me to do. We have a pause with KPMG at the moment that we'll continue until the review is finished.

The PRESIDENT: Senator Pocock, first supplementary?