Statements
Claim George Brandis was involved in Bell Group matter earlier than he says
Attorney-General George Brandis was personally involved in the Bell Group matter one month earlier than he claims he was, the ABC has been told.
If the claim is true, Senator Brandis may have misled Parliament over the issue.
7.30 has been told Senator Brandis spoke to West Australian Attorney-General Michael Mischin about the case in early February last year — a full month before Senator Brandis said he first became personally involved.
Senator Brandis said he could not recall the conversation.
“I have no recollection or record of any telephone conversation with Mr Mischin on or about 1 February 2016,” Senator Brandis told 7.30 in a statement.
But 7.30 has been told Senator Brandis informed Mr Mischin he had had a briefing on the Bell matter ahead of a hearing in the High Court set down for the following week.
It was asserted that Senator Brandis told Mr Mischin that while he understood there was a potential dispute, he had not made a final decision on whether the Commonwealth would intervene …