news, federal-politics

The coalition is trying to kill off an inquiry into Energy Minister Angus Taylor's interest in a family company linked to an alleged illegal land clearing investigation. Labor is pursuing the cabinet minister over 2017 meetings with environment department officials and the office of then-environment minister Josh Frydenberg to discuss the status of critically endangered grasslands. Opposition Senate leader Penny Wong accused Mr Taylor of being corrupt, but later agreed to withdraw the claim after the government took issue with the word. "They won't allow me to say the word corrupt but they know this is not kosher," she told parliament on Thursday. The meetings were held while investigations were under way into the alleged poisoning of 30 hectares that contained the grassland on a NSW property owned by Jam Land Pty Ltd. Mr Taylor's brother Richard is one of Jam Land's directors, while their family investment company, Gufee, is a shareholder. Senator Wong claimed Mr Taylor rang his mate, referring to Mr Frydenberg, and told him to fix a problem on one of his properties. "It is indefensible and there is a cover-up the government is engaging with," she said. "Shame on any crossbenchers who are proposing to vote with the government to prevent investigation of this." Labor wanted to postpone referring the matter to a Senate inquiry until Monday, but the coalition wanted it voted on sooner. The government's eagerness to bring the matter on for a vote is likely to indicate they have the numbers to stop the matter being scrutinised by a parliamentary committee. Mr Taylor insists he was representing farmers in his electorate of Hume, despite the grassland being mostly in the neighbouring seat of Eden-Monaro. He has repeatedly stated he made no representations to federal or state officials about the illegal land-clearing investigation. Centre Alliance, which controls two crucial Senate votes, is opposed to the inquiry. Senator Rex Patrick said he had seen evidence Mr Taylor received concerns from constituents about the grassland. Australian Associated Press

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