Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes that:

(a) yesterday in Question Time when the Special Minister of State was asked about statements he had made in relation to the Ashby Affair, the Minister said 'In relation to the 60 Minutes interview, what was put to air was not the full question';

(b) on Channel Nine Television News last night, in a story by journalist Laurie Oakes, the original version of the 60 Minutes interview was played and makes it clear that there were no words omitted which could in any way be considered part of the question the Minister was asked;

(c) as a consequence, the Minister clearly misled the House of Representatives during Question Time yesterday; and

(d) at no stage did the Minister take the opportunity to correct the record in the Parliament despite the House of Representatives sitting until 9.30 pm last night;

(2) therefore resolves that the:

(a) Minister has misled the Parliament and has failed in his obligation under Clause 5.1 of the Prime Minister’s Statement of Ministerial Standards to correct the record as soon as practicable; and

(b) Member for Fisher’s commission as Special Minister of State and Minister for Defence Materiel and Science must be terminated forthwith; and

(3) censures the Prime Minister for his:

(a) atrocious judgement in appointing the Member for Fisher as a Minister with responsibility for Government integrity; and

(b) complete and utter failure to show leadership and sack or even stand aside the Special Minister of State from his ministerial responsibilities.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the member for Isaacs from moving the following motion forthwith.

That the House:

(1) notes that:

(a) yesterday in Question Time when the Special Minister of State was asked about statements he had made in relation to the Ashby Affair, the Minister said 'In relation to the 60 Minutes interview, what was put to air was not the full question';

(b) on Channel Nine Television News last night, in a story by journalist Laurie Oakes, the original version of the 60 Minutes interview was played and makes it clear that there were no words omitted which could in any way be considered part of the question the Minister was asked;

(c) as a consequence, the Minister clearly misled the House of Representatives during Question Time yesterday; and

(d) at no stage did the Minister take the opportunity to correct the record in the Parliament despite the House of Representatives sitting until 9.30 pm last night;

(2) therefore resolves that the:

(a) Minister has misled the Parliament and has failed in his obligation under Clause 5.1 of the Prime Minister’s Statement of Ministerial Standards to correct the record as soon as practicable; and

(b) Member for Fisher’s commission as Special Minister of State and Minister for Defence Materiel and Science must be terminated forthwith; and

(3) censures the Prime Minister for his:

(a) atrocious judgement in appointing the Member for Fisher as a Minister with responsibility for Government integrity; and

(b) complete and utter failure to show leadership and sack or even stand aside the Special Minister of State from his ministerial responsibilities.

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