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Prime Minister Scott Morrison says it is a "disgraceful slur" for the opposition to suggest he had any role in the Home Affairs Department awarding an almost $80,000 contract to a company run by two of his closest friends.
- The Home Affairs Department awarded a limited tender contract to Scott Briggs, who is the president of the electoral conference in Scott Morrison's electorate
- Labor seized on comments by Home Affairs boss Mike Pezzullo that the private business venture was "really important" for the PM
- Mr Morrison told parliament he fully disclosed any interests and called any suggestion he was involved a "disgraceful slur"
Last month, the ABC revealed the limited tender contract was given to former deputy NSW Liberal Party director Scott Briggs, who is also the president of Mr Morrison's federal electoral conference in his Sydney electorate of Cook.
Quarantine Services Australia (QSA) was officially registered as a company on August 30 by Mr Briggs, with the aim of bringing up to 160,000 foreign workers and students a year into Australia via a private hotel quarantine system.
Two weeks earlier, another company linked to Mr Briggs, DPG Advisory Solutions, was awarded a $79,500 "limited tender" contract by the Home Affairs Department to provide "consultancy services" to help develop the proposal.
DPG Advisory Solutions was founded and run by former Liberal Party candidate David Gazard, who previously worked as a Coalition ministerial adviser and journalist and is also a close confidant of Mr Morrison.
Labor has seized on claims from business leaders that Home Affairs Secretary Mike Pezzullo told them the private business venture was "a really important project for the Prime Minister".
In Question Time, Mr Morrison hit back at any suggestion he helped Mr Briggs obtain the taxpayer funds to help set up Quarantine Services Australia.
"I've always fully disclosed any interests where they are relevant to any matter that I may be considering and the suggestion otherwise is a disgraceful slur by a grubby opposition," Mr Morrison said.
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews also told parliament she had no knowledge of the contract until it was signed by her department.
Ms Andrews pointed to evidence given by her departmental secretary last week to a Senate committee, where he stated it was a decision made separate from any ministers or their staff.
"Any such contract was entered into directly by the Department of Home Affairs, it was done without my knowledge, the first I became aware of it was following the contract having been finalised," Ms Andrews said.
As Australia's travel restrictions are gradually eased, the company's proposal has become less viable, and it has shifted focus to shorter "catch-and-release" hotel quarantine stints that would involve testing and verifying the vaccine status of foreign arrivals before they can enter the community.