STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator SHELDON (New South Wales—Chief Government Whip in the Senate) (13:56): The New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption has been holding hearings for the past four weeks now, investigating illegal donations to the Liberal Party's branch-stacking activities, as part of Operation Rosny. There's one name that keeps coming up—the Leader of the Opposition, Angus Taylor.

Through Reformers member Dylan Whitelaw, we heard that Dallas McInerney has been shaking down Mr Taylor for a $10,000 donation to a right-wing branch-stacking effort. We also heard that Mr McInerney had successfully gotten Mr Taylor to chip in $15,000, plus a monthly $3,000 donation. Just today, the ICAC heard that two men also being targeted by Operation Rosny—Christian Ellis and Jeremy Greenwood—were Mr Taylor's key fundraisers.

It's extraordinary that the Leader of the Opposition's two key fundraising operatives were hauled before ICAC over their links to corrupt property developers. But even more extraordinary is that, over the past two weeks now, Mr Taylor has refused to answer questions about it. In fact, he's gone so far as to have his press secretary abuse journalists asking him the most basic questions on the matter.

I'm sure his New South Wales colleagues in this place would be very keen to hear him answer those questions. The Australian people deserve answers to these questions. Angus, you can't hide forever.

You should go into the House and answer these allegations. Go in there, meet the media and start answering the questions of the people of Australia, rather than hiding at every opportunity that you've had to disappear and hide from answering these questions. Give us the answers.

We deserve to hear what's going on. Opposition senators interjecting— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Polley ): Senator Sheldon, resume your seat. That display was unacceptable, with the interjections and yelling across the chamber.

It was absolutely disorderly. Senator McKenzie: Point of order: refer to people in the other chamber by their correct title. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: There is no point of order, considering the debate backwards and forwards that I could hear, and the personal abuse.

Senator Sheldon, have you finished? Thank you. The PRESIDENT: We still have a minute.

Senator Watt.