Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Question Time.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
Mr Burnes is also the honorary federal treasurer of the Liberal Party,an unpaid position that is central to the party’s ability to raise funds for the coming election.
Mr Burnes is also a longstanding friend of Mr Hockey and has known Senator Cormann for several years,as well as being connected to many of the most senior Liberals in the federal government.
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Helloworld said its QBT subsidiary was awarded a contract in 2015 to provide travel management to the Commonwealth,including DFAT,and sought the meeting in 2017 to discuss the provision of travel services in the US.
A formal tender process for the DFAT work began in August 2018 and QBT is one of the bidders,but no announcement has been made about the contract.
“At no time has ambassador Hockey or Helloworld CEO Andrew Burnes discussed the DFAT tender and neither Mr Hockey nor Mr Burnes have had any involvement in the tender process,” the company said.
“Mr Burnes did not request the meeting with DFAT personnel in the United States.
“At all times Helloworld and Mr Burnes have acted properly in the tender process.”
Mr Morrison denied in Parliament that the meeting was held as the result of an instruction from the ambassador.
Labor finance spokesman Jim Chalmers asked Mr Morrison to explain the conflicts of interest and table all documents about the matter within 24 hours.
Mr Chalmers also called on Mr Morrison to investigate and report to Parliament on how far the “scandal” reached into his government.
Mr Morrison said Mr Hockey had no role in the tender process and declared his business interests appropriately.
“The Australian embassy staff meeting on 26 April 2017,I’m advised,was not in relation to the tender process,” Mr Morrison said.
“QBT was then,and continues to be,a travel[supplier] for DFAT through a whole-of-government supply arrangement.
“I'm advised embassy staff did not meet QBT or other staff in relation to the tender and embassy staff have met and corresponded with a whole range of travel providers to discuss the embassy’s travel requirements.
“So what this is,again,is the Labor Party trying to distract attention with all these slurs,all these smears,all these grubby claims.”