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) (14:37): As you would know from reading the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles, there is also a closed, non-competitive round. It is allowed to be—the grant principles and rules follow that, and Minister King followed that.

Now, I hear those opposite groaning and moaning about this, but what happened—and I heard Senator McKenzie railing as well, about this, this morning. The difference between sports rorts, Senator McKenzie, which was an open, merits based process— The PRESIDENT: Minister Gallagher, please— Government senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order on my right! Senator McKenzie?

Senator McKenzie: I would ask you to get the minister to withdraw that comment. The PRESIDENT: Thank you— Senator McKenzie: She also misrepresented me. For once, I was quiet.

The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, do not go into a further statement. Minister Gallagher, I will ask you to withdraw. Senator GALLAGHER: Okay, I withdraw.

I think, if you go back and have a look at the election commitments we made, Senator Pocock, we were clear in the media statements that were made around them that these would be delivered through a closed, non-competitive process. We were clear on that at the point that those commitments were made. We were very clear about that.

All of the decisions have been taken in accordance with the grants rules and principles. The PRESIDENT: Senator Pocock, second supplementary?