Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

We have the hapless Minister for Human Services wandering around in China. Not only does he fortuitously meet the donor, Paul Marks, which is fantastic, 'What a surprise meeting you here,' but then he happens to stumble across a signing ceremony in his personal capacity. Then, glory be, he has a meeting with the Vice Minister for Land and Resources. He should buy a TattsLotto ticket he is that lucky on his travels.

In fact it is a much more serious issue. The divisions of this government have been revealed for all to see. When the minister for cities had his particular difficulty, I have no doubt that this Prime Minister moved harshly and quickly. That is what he does to the people he does not like. But Mr Robert, the Minister for Human Services, is in a different category. He is one of the Treasurer's great allies. He is one of the great fund raisers of the Liberal Party. When we see the money talking we do not see Mr Robert walking.

It is now up to the Prime Minister to make a decision. We heard his argument about due process. We heard him talk about it. What is it that this Prime Minister does not understand about the prima facie breach? What is it? This person was not in an official capacity in China; he was in a personal capacity. What was his explanation to be standing alongside a $2-million donor to the Liberal Party. In China they have a great respect for office, even respect for current Liberal government ministers no matter how misplaced that may be. The point about all this is, what is he doing, authorising, embracing, endorsing, attesting and attending a signing ceremony of a major deal? Did that Chinese minister think he was just having a chat to citizen Robert of Australia or was he under the misapprehension that this man was a minister in the government?

We have asked the Prime Minister to act. What he has done is contracted out his leadership to Martin Parkinson. Martin Parkinson must be so happy to be back working for the Liberal government. He got run out of town by one bunch in this government, now he has been brought back in to carry out the nightsoil for this current Prime Minister.

The real issue here is that we see the division in the government now.

Mr Fletcher interjecting—

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