Cash appeared in Senate Estimates after 2pm on Wednesday, and ran interference from the minute she sat down and Labor senator Doug Cameron began asking questions.



Doug Cameron: When do you intend [to provide] the public the reasons why your staff member resigned in relation to the [raid leaks]? Michaelia Cash: Which staff member are you referring to? Cameron: Your staff member who you threw under the bus after you mislead the Senate on five occasions. Cash: Senator Cameron, I'm not going to go through with you the dance that you now want to do ... I have fully articulated the evidence in many hours of questioning, in particular last year, and I have nothing further to add to that evidence.

Cash has maintained a claim of public interest immunity for the last 12 months, while the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has been investigating the leaks.

The AFP told estimates on Monday its investigation is now complete and in the hands of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

But Cash is still refusing to answer questions.

Cash: This is not an investigation into me or my office, no matter how many times you try and say it is. Cameron: That's your claim. Cash: You would also know, that a public interest immunity claim has been made into this matter and was accepted last year by this committee.

The Australian Financial Review alleged Cash declined to cooperate with AFP investigators, claiming she didn't need to make a fresh statement as she's been quizzed on the matter many times in Senate Estimates and everything she knows is on the public record.

Cash was shown a copy of the AFR article, but said she wouldn't speculate on comments by an "unnamed source".

Earlier in the week, the AFP refused to answer questions about who it has interviewed or sought witness statements from, claiming it could jeopardise its the investigation.



Cameron: Why can't you just be honest with the Australian public and outline your involvement in that raid? Cash: Senator Cameron, again, I'm not going to do this dance ... as much as you seem to like to write it onto my dance card ... I'm almost flattered. I have given extensive evidence at a previous estimates hearing. I stand by that evidence.

Cash refused to answer questions about her former chief of staff Ben Davies and whether she has maintained contact with him since he left her office, saying it was inappropriate to discuss former staff.

BuzzFeed News revealed on Tuesday that the AWU has hired private investigators to track Davies down as part of its legal challenge into the police raids on its offices last year.

Employment committee chair, Liberal senator Slade Brockman, instructed the minister that she did not have to answer Cameron's question, claiming that former staff members are private citizens and precedent dictates names should not be raised.



Cameron and AWU national secretary Dan Walton disagreed.

"We think it's not unreasonable to assume that Ms Cash could help us here," Walton told BuzzFeed News. "Has she had any contact with Mr Davies since he disappeared? Has she heard from any of his contacts? Did she have any conversations with him about his course of action prior to his disappearing?"

Cash wouldn't provide a figure to estimates on how much had been spent on taxpayer funded lawyers to defend her in the AWU's Federal Court challenge into the raids. The minister said that was a question for the attorney-general's department.

Cash was demoted in the August reshuffle, for the second time in twelve months.