PM Transcripts

The claim in today';s Sydney Morning Herald (page 24) that my Chief of Staff Arthur Sinodinos telephoned Mr John Brogden';s office last Thursday and gave “a quiet all clear” to Mr Brogden';s leadership challenge is completely wrong.
Mr Sinodinos has told me that no such telephone conversation took place. Mr Brogden has confirmed this to me.
Mr Brogden, moreover, has told me that the only contact between his office and mine regarding the leadership issue occurred last Monday when, immediately after the leadership challenge to Mrs Chikarovski had been launched, Mr Brogden himself initiated a telephone conversation with Mr Sinodinos to inform him of the challenge. By that time I was aware of it because Mrs Chikarovski had herself informed me a few moments earlier.
Any implication from the article that I had covertly signified acquiescence in Mr Brogden';s challenge whilst publicly supporting Mrs Chikarovski is something I reject totally as both hurtful to her and offensive to me.
I observe that despite the story directly attributing very sensitive comments to my Chief Of Staff no attempt was made by those who wrote the story to verify those comments with either Mr Sinodinos or indeed anyone else from my staff.