Angus Taylor’s dodgy documents

MARK BUTLER: Over the last 24 hours there have been a number of revelations in the long running scandal around the dodgy documents scandal surrounding Angus Taylor. This was a dodgy document that he circulated to the media in an attack on the Sydney City Council and which he has repeatedly claimed, in the Australian Parliament, he or his office downloaded directly from the Sydney City Council website. 

When the New South Wales Police initiated a substantial inquiry and launched a strike force into this question, Angus Taylor assured the Parliament, as did the Prime Minister, that he would cooperate fully with the New South Wales Police. 

Overnight, we have learned that when the New South Wales Police sought an interview with Mr Taylor he refused that request and insisted that the police only deal with his lawyers. Also, we’ve learned that New South Wales Police have concluded in their analysis of the metadata surrounding the Sydney City Council’s Annual Report that it was not downloaded by Minister Taylor’s office. 

So, if any further evidence was required, it is now beyond any doubt that Angus Taylor has lied to the Australian people and misled the Australian Parliament about the origin of this dodgy document that he circulated.

Now I know this is very far from the front of people’s minds during this unprecedented health crisis. But now more than ever, it is important that Australians be able to trust what their Government says. 

And, at a time when millions of Australians are facing unprecedented pressure on their incomes and on their job security, it is simply unacceptable that Angus Taylor be able to hold his job and draw his salary as a Minister of the Crown when it is clearly beyond doubt he has failed to tell the truth to the Australian people. 

At a time when trust is more important than ever it is critically important that a Minister who has been shown to tell lies to the Australian people and mislead the Australian Parliament not be able to continue to hold his job.  

JOURNALIST: So he has to stand down?

 
BUTLER: He has had repeated opportunities to correct the record since last September – when he first made the claim that he had directly downloaded this document, in his office, from the City of Sydney Council website. He has had repeated opportunities. Instead, he has continued to make that claim that time and time again has been shown to be false, including most recently from the New South Wales Police. 

He promised he would fully cooperate with the New South Wales Police inquiry and then refused an interview request from them.  

At the end of the day there has got to be some holding to account for a Minister of the Crown.

JOURNALIST: The Government hasn’t shown any interest in taking action itself. Where should they be heading on this particular issues?

BUTLER: Angus Taylor should do the decent thing. It has been shown now that he has lied to the Australian people and misled the Australian Parliament. That is the most fundamental condition of employment of a Minister of the Crown – he has got to go.

JOURNALIST: If there is no movement from him, if there is no movement from the Federal Government, what then happens?

BUTLER: We will take this matter up. Obviously at the moment we are focused on the unprecedented health crisis confronting the Australian and global community. Our focus is overwhelmingly on saving jobs and on saving lives. But at a time when trust in Government is more important than ever, how can a Minister continue to hold his job, draw his income, when it has been shown beyond doubt he has failed the most fundamental condition of employment?

Thanks everyone.

 
ENDS