The Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor has responded to findings that there was "no evidence" his office had downloaded an allegedly forged document from the City of Sydney's website last September.
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"We have always maintained that the report was accessed and printed directly from the City of Sydney's website (rather than downloaded)," said a spokesperson for the Minister.
Media reports this week have noted that NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller, in answering answers to questions on notice to a NSW parliamentary committee, said police could not confirm that Mr Taylor or his office downloaded the documents from the City of Sydney website.
"The metadata did not provide any evidence of the document being downloaded to Minister Taylor's office," said Commissioner Fuller.
Mr Taylor's office pointed out that evidence provided by the Department of the Environment and Energy (IT provider to the Minister and his office) - in response to questions on notice in November 20, 2019 - supports the Minister's statements that the document was accessed and printed directly from the City of Sydney website.
"The Department (as the IT provider to the Minister and his office) has confirmed the City of Sydney website was accessed by the Minister's office on September 9, 2019," said the spokesperson.
"It confirms individuals could print directly from the website without downloading the report. And finally, it confirms the IT systems do not allow for PDFs to be altered."
Mr Taylor's office also asserted that the Minister and his office cooperated with the investigation.
"Neither the Minister, nor the solicitor acting on the Minister's behalf, refused a request for interview by the NSW Police," the spokesperson said.
Mr Taylor relied on an incorrect version of the City of Sydney's annual statutory report for the year to June 2018, which wrongly showed vastly inflated costs of interstate visits by councillors.
He later apologised to Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore.
