Australian Day Riot: Questions remain unanswered

The Prime Minister refused to answer the many serious questions about the Australia Day security breach today in the Parliament according to Christopher Pyne, Manager of Opposition Business.

“Presented with an opportunity to make a statement during proceedings the Gillard Government instead voted against having a debate on the issue,” Mr Pyne said.

“As this was the most serious breach of a Prime Minister’s security in thirty years it warranted a full debate and explanation from Ms Gillard to the Parliament,” he said.

“Instead the Prime Minister suggested it was some sort of triviality and a waste of time, an extraordinary claim when contemplating the graphic images of her own extraction from the Lobby restaurant on 26^th of January.

“It is equally extraordinary that this physical extraction was necessary because a staff member in the Prime Minister’s office - supposedly the highest elected office in this country - had a hand in causing it.

“While the questions regarding the events and the involvement of her office remain unanswered a stench will hang over the Prime Minister’s office.

“For example, the Prime Minister denied today that members of her media unit were briefing the press gallery on Thursday afternoon that the Leader of the Opposition had caused the riot, despite media reporting to the contrary. 

“Ms Gillard refused to adequately explain why her former staff member, Tony Hodges was forced to resign if, as she was at pains to point out, he had faithfully relayed the Leader of the Opposition’s comments on Australia Day.

“The facts, as put by the Prime Minister, simply do not add up,” Mr Pyne said. 

February 8, 2012

 
The sixteen questions needing to be answered are:

1. What precisely did the Prime Minister’s staff say to Kim Sattler on Australian Day that would have lead her to instigate the subsequent events? If the Prime Minister expects us to believe that her staff related Mr Abbott’s words exactly, why did Kim Sattler write on Facebook and in an email to 3AW that Mr Abbott had suggested the Tent Embassy be cleared?
2.  Did Mr Hodges speak to any other activists or protesters on Australia Day in relation to the events that were unfolding at The Lobby Restaurant?  If so, who and what was the content of those conversations?
3.  Why were the Prime Minister’s media advisers telling Press Gallery journalists on Thursday afternoon that Mr Abbott had started a riot if they weren’t trying to gain political mileage from the events of Australia Day?  Who were those staff members? Has any action been taken in her office in relation to those staff?
4.  Who were the other three PMO staff at The Lobby on Thursday when Mr Tony Hodges was communicating with Kim Sattler of ACT Unions at the Tent Embassy Protest?  Have they been questioned as to their involvement in the events of that day?  Can she guarantee that no other staff were involved in the events that led to the Australia Day affray?
5.  Does the Prime Minister accept that an unhealthy culture has developed in her office that would elevate dirty tricks above addressing the serious policy changes that beset the nation at the current time?
6. What conversations occurred between her head of communications, Mr John McTernan and Kim Sattler on Friday, Saturday or Sunday?  What was the content of those conversations that would lead Kim Sattler to describe herself as being “the meat in the sandwich”?
7. Did any conversations occur between the Prime Minister’s Office and Ms Kim Sattler on Sunday that would cause her to alter her account of her interaction with the Prime Minister’s staff from the one she gave the News Ltd papers on Saturday?
8. Did Mr Hodges, when passing on Mr Abbott’s comments, make any mention of his remarks on the historic apology in 2008 or the proposal for recognition of indigenous Australians in the constitution?
9. When Mr Hodges informed his “immediate superiors” on Australia Day of his phone calls to the office of the ACT Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Ms Sattler, who else was subsequently told about the events? Who, in turn, did they tell? Why wasn’t the Prime Minister told for close to 24 hours? Once being informed on Friday afternoon, why didn’t the Prime Minister immediately tell the public rather than waiting until after 6pm that night?
10. Was Mr Hodges required to sign a confidentiality agreement or an agreement of non-disclosure upon his resignation from the Prime Minister’s Office?
11. When initially making contact with the office of Chris Bourke, ACT Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, to whom did Mr Hodges speak? What was the content of that conversation? During that conversation, was the suggestion made that Mr Hodges speak to anyone else? Who made that suggestion?
12. Has anyone in the Prime Minister’s Office spoken to senior AFP figures in relation to the events on Australia Day?
13. Given the gravity of the events on Australia Day, has the Prime Minister or her Chief of Staff initiated a review of their internal processes?
14. To whom did the Prime Minister’s staffers, Sean Kelly and John McTernan speak once they were informed of events by Mr Hodges on Thursday? While they were working to establish the facts, did they speak to anyone else in the Prime Minister’s Office, other ministerial offices, or to other Labor or union figures?
15. When did Mr Kelly or Mr McTernan inform Mr Ben Hubbard of the matters raised with them by Tony Hodges?
16. What instructions did any member of the PMO convey to Labor Members of Parliament on Australia Day about the use of social media, including Facebook and Twitter, about the events that had occurred?