Wednesday, 22 February 2023

 Michael O’BRIEN (Malvern) (14:11): My question is to the Treasurer. IBAC’s special report into Operation Clara found that former Labor minister Theo Theophanous improperly sought to lobby the Treasurer to the benefit of the Australian Education City consortium. Did the Treasurer report this improper conduct of a Labor mate to the authorities? If not, why not?

 Tim PALLAS (Werribee – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Trade and Investment) (14:12): I thank the member for Malvern for his question, and to make this clear, I have always acted appropriately at all times with respect to these matters. Might I also draw to the member’s attention, if he has not read the report – it makes it very clear in the report that no-one else, including me, is subject to adverse comment or opinion or inference of impropriety.

 Michael O’BRIEN (Malvern) (14:13): In April 2019 Mr Theophanous promoted a Labor campaign event to the Australian Education City consortium as ‘a unique opportunity to speak to the … Treasurer directly’. Australian Education City was invoiced $5000 in relation to this event. What was the Treasurer’s involvement in what appears to be an attempt to bypass Victoria’s fundraising laws to raise funds for the Labor Party from an overseas consortium at the request of a lobbyist subject to today’s corruption report?

 Tim PALLAS (Werribee – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Trade and Investment) (14:13): I refer the member to my previous answer. The IBAC actually shaded a section of their report to make it clear that there was no adverse comment or opinion or inference of impropriety, and that I believe is the end of the matter.