Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Hansard source

I will. I am very mindful of the seriousness and importance of this particular motion. The reason standing orders should be suspended is because the gravest matters are before the House, matters of the integrity of the parliament, matters of our reputations as members of parliament, as well as the entire confidence of the Australian people in this House, in this federal democracy. For too long this matter has been allowed to sap the confidence of the Australian people in their parliament. It has taken the opposition to move this motion today to highlight the fact that we believe it is time for the members of parliament in this place to take control of our own destiny, to recover and repair our reputations. Because I can tell you, Madam Deputy Speaker, out in the public they view the 43rd Parliament with sheer horror and revulsion. The allegations that have been made against the member for Dobell—allegations so serious that he has been suspended from the Labor caucus and now sits on the crossbenches—are so serious that I believe this motion is worthy of consideration and that is why standing orders must be suspended.

Fair Work Australia also found that the member for Dobell took $103,000 in cash withdrawals from the membership of the Health Services Union—

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