‘No more than what was in media release’: Mick Fuller defends ‘short’ call with PM over Angus Taylor

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has defended his phone conversation with Scott Morrison about the Angus Taylor investigation.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller. Picture: Gaye Gerard

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has defended his conversation with Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the investigation into Energy Minister Angus Taylor telling The Australian: “At the end of the day, he received no more or less information than what was in the media release”.

He has also described the conversation as “extremely short”.

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The Prime Minister has come under criticism for the call, made after Question Time yesterday so Mr Morrison could establish whether the police investigation into the alleged doctoring of a document had progressed to the extent that Mr Taylor needed to be stood down.

“In terms of the investigation, I can’t comment any further,” Mr Fuller said.

“However I can say that NSW police received the (Opposition) complaint and I have acted appropriately and transparently.

“You can’t have a police commissioner making decisions to (conduct) an open and transparent investigation then suggest there’s something inappropriate in relation to receiving a phone call. It’s hypocrisy to say that.

“It was an extremely short conversation in that he just wanted confirmation we were conducting an investigation.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison listens to Energy Minister Angus Taylor during House of Representatives Question Time at Parliament House on Tuesday.

Mr Fuller said he had previously notified NSW police minister, David Elliott, that an investigation was underfoot.

The police statement issued on Tuesday on the issue makes clear that as well as a strike force investigating allegations around the provision of the document attacking Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore to a Daily Telegraph journalist, the matter of whether what occurred constitutes an offence is also under consideration.

Wong on PM’s integrity

Labor’s Senate leader Penny Wong says Mr Morrison “threw his own integrity into question” by calling Commissioner Fuller.

The Prime Minister said he called the commissioner, who was once his neighbour, to find out about the instigation of the investigation — triggered after opposition legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus referred the allegation to the police — and the nature and substance of the police inquiry.

“We have a Minister of the Crown being investigated by the police, by a special strikeforce, for a criminal offence,” Senator Wong said in the Senate.

“You’d think that the principles of our democracy and our Westminster system would mean that this Minister would stand aside. But he didn’t. Instead, if the Prime Minister had some integrity, he would ensure that Minister Taylor stood aside. But he didn’t stand him down. In fact, he didn’t show integrity. He just showed nothing but a contempt for parliament and the principles of ministerial integrity and accountability.

“Mr Morrison even threw his own integrity into question by a personal call to the NSW police commissioner to discuss details of the investigation.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Labor leader Anthony Albanese raised his concerns over Mr Morrison’s “unprecedented” phone call to Commissioner Fuller.

Speaking on ABC News on Wednesday Mr Albanese ramped up Labor’s demands for Mr Taylor to step aside while the police investigate the source of documents used to lash Clover Moore over her travel expenses and carbon emissions.

Not a call I would’ve made: Turnbull

In an interview on Sky News on Wednesday morning, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull questioned Mr Morrison’s decision to contact Mr Fuller.

Mr Turnbull said it was vitally important that any police inquiry was seen to be conducted “entirely free of political influence.”

“Now, I am sure the call that the Prime Minister made to the NSW Police Commissioner was innocuous, but it would have been much better if it had not been made,” Mr Turnbull said.

“It is a call – being blunt about it – it is a call I would not have made.”

With Olivia Caisley, Rosie Lewis