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) when asked on 60 Minutes if he had asked James Ashby to procure copies of Peter Slipper's diary for him, the now Special Minister of State admitted - and I quote, "Yes, I did";

(b) the Special Minister of State is referred to in an Australian Federal Police search warrant in relation to two separate criminal offences under the Criminal Code Act 1995 and the Crimes Act 1914;

(c) the Minister's actions in relation to the Ashby affair render him completely unfit to have ministerial responsibility for Government integrity as the Special Minister of State;

(d) the Special Minister of State was appointed by the Prime Minister as a member of the Ministry as reward for being a key henchman in the overthrow of the former Prime Minister; and

(e) the Prime Minister was fully aware of the extent of the Special Minister of State's involvement in the Ashby Affair prior to giving him responsibility for Government integrity; and

(2) censures the Prime Minister for his:

(a) complete lack of judgement in appointing the Member for Fisher as the Special Minister of State when he was fully aware of the extent of the Minister's involvement in the Ashby affair; and

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

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the 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) when asked on 60 Minutes if he had asked James Ashby to procure copies of Peter Slipper's diary for him, the now Special Minister of State admitted - and I quote, "Yes, I did";

(b) the Special Minister of State is referred to in an Australian Federal Police search warrant in relation to two separate criminal offences under the Criminal Code Act 1995 and the Crimes Act 1914;

(c) the Minister's actions in relation to the Ashby affair render him completely unfit to have ministerial responsibility for Government integrity as the Special Minister of State;

(d) the Special Minister of State was appointed by the Prime Minister as a member of the Ministry as reward for being a key henchman in the overthrow of the former Prime Minister; and

(e) the Prime Minister was fully aware of the extent of the Special Minister of State's involvement in the Ashby Affair prior to giving him responsibility for Government integrity; and

(2) censures the Prime Minister for his:

(a) complete lack of judgement in appointing the Member for Fisher as the Special Minister of State when he was fully aware of the extent of the Minister's involvement in the Ashby affair; and

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

The government refuses to admit that the member for Fisher's position has—

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