07:57

After question time, Mathias Cormann gave a brief and un-illuminating statement about the Crown casino matter.

He said the government takes “allegations of illegal activity very seriously” which is why the attorney general has referred “allegations of corruption involving the Home Affairs Department and Crown casino to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity”.



“I can also advise – the prime minister is not aware of any of his ministers breaching ministerial standards in relation to this matter.”

Greens senator Nick McKim said that Cormann had failed to answer the question of whether the prime minister has investigated the claims that two ministers lobbied Home Affairs to “grease the wheels” for Crown casino high-rollers.



“All we got was the insulting platitude that the PM is ‘not aware’,” he said.

Greens senator Larissa Waters also had a swing, but no Labor senators did the same.