Energy minister rejects reports he refused to be interviewed by police as embarrassing misfire continues to trouble him

This article is more than 4 months old

This article is more than 4 months old

The energy minister, Angus Taylor, is making a distinction between “downloading” and “accessing” documents on a website as his bungled attack on Sydney city council eight months ago continues to trouble him.

Through a spokesman he has rejected news reports he refused to be interviewed by police investigating the matter.

It is understood Taylor provided police with a statement and answered questions in writing.

The controversy over his embarrassing misfire in attempting to brand the Sydney lord mayor, Clover Moore, a climate change hypocrite has been revived by New South Wales police responses to questions taken on notice in the NSW parliament.

Last September, Taylor sent a letter to Clover Moore accusing her of hypocrisy for her council’s declaration of a “climate emergency” while spreading emissions through extensive travel.

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The letter, leaked by his office to the Daily Telegraph before it reached Moore’s office, included a document claiming to be from the council’s annual report reporting it had spent $15m on domestic and overseas travel. The actual figure was closer to $6,000.

The document sent to the Daily Telegraph is similar to the travel expenses pages of the council’s annual report but contains different dollar figures.

Police said no evidence was found to confirm Taylor’s office had downloaded the document containing the false figures from the council’s website, or that the document ever existed on the website.

Taylor’s office argues this counters claims a document was falsified in the minister’s office, as this would require it to be downloaded.

The defence will be seen as tech semantics but leaves no doubt Taylor is refusing to surrender to allegations he released a dodgy document.

A spokesman for Taylor on Tuesday told Guardian Australia the police report supported the minister’s positions.

“We have always maintained that the report (from the council website) wasn’t downloaded,” said the spokesman.

“As per minister Taylor’s statement on October 25 the report was accessed from the City of Sydney’s website and printed directly from the site which evidence provided by the department (of energy) in response to questions on notice supports.

“The NSW police are only confirming what we have said all along.”

But the City of Sydney website itself refers to links of the annual report file as a “download”.

Technology reporters have pointed out that while technically Taylor’s staff may not have right-clicked and saved the file, the council’s website would have still recorded the access of the document as a download.

In response to questions from the Labor MP Rose Jackson during NSW budget estimates, the NSW police commissioner, Mick Fuller, has said: “The metadata did not provide any evidence of the document being downloaded to Minister Taylor’s office.”

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Fuller also said there was no evidence the document sent by Taylor’s office ever existed on the website.

The federal shadow finance minister, Katy Gallagher, said the huge importance of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic did not excuse Taylor.

“Angus Taylor should today come and explain where that document came from,” Gallagher told reporters on Tuesday.

“That is the only outstanding question of priority. And if he can’t answer it, the prime minister should.”

Gallagher said the Covid-19 response was “first and foremost in our thinking”.

“But those ministers shouldn’t think that they’re going to just walk away. We will continue to hold them to account and the prime minister should be doing it as well,” she said.