Westpac

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (14:55): I seek leave to make a brief statement before asking a question of the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment.

The PRESIDENT: Regarding?

The Hon. J.E. HANSON: Regarding Westpac.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.E. HANSON: Comments made by the home affairs minister, Peter Dutton, in federal parliament this week regarding Westpac's current problems it is having, to quote, were:

It is clear that the Westpac bosses, through their negligence, have given a free pass to paedophiles, and there is a price to pay for that. That price will be paid, and we have been very clear about it.

What concerns does the minister now have about his announcement on 19 November 2019 that Westpac will be providing sponsorship for the Tour Down Under?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:56): I thank the honourable member for his ongoing interest in the Tour Down Under, a great Liberal event that was started back when John Olsen was premier and Joan Hall was the minister for tourism. It is indeed wonderful to have ongoing commercial sponsors. Santos is clearly our naming rights sponsor and Westpac is sponsoring this year's community ride.

I have every confidence that Westpac will be a very good sponsor, notwithstanding some of the issues that obviously the senior executive and other people in the Westpac organisation—which I obviously have no jurisdiction over. There is a range of issues they are dealing with in relation to the current matters that are being well ventilated in the mainstream media and in other parliaments, and I think the chief executive has stood down today. I have every confidence that the community ride will be as good, as exciting, as fun-filled and with as many participants as ever this year.