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

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) clause 23 of the Prime Minister's own Cabinet Handbook states "Members of the Cabinet must publicly support all Government decisions made in the Cabinet, even if they do not agree with them. Cabinet ministers cannot dissociate themselves from, or repudiate the decisions of their Cabinet colleagues unless they resign from the Cabinet. It is the Prime Minister's role as Chair of the Cabinet, where necessary, to enforce Cabinet solidarity";

(b)for the first time in the history of the Liberal-National Coalition, three National Party Ministers in the Cabinet failed to vote for the Cabinet's position, contrary to the Prime Minister's Cabinet Handbook and Cabinet solidarity; and

(c)the dysfunction and division in the Government means the Prime Minister and his Ministers are spending every minute fighting for their own jobs and not the jobs of Australians; and

(2)therefore, condemns the Prime Minister for being so weak and leading a Government that is so divided that the Prime Minister is powerless to act.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Maribyrnong from moving the following motion forthwith—That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) clause 23 of the Prime Minister's own Cabinet Handbook states "Members of the Cabinet must publicly support all Government decisions made in the Cabinet, even if they do not agree with them. Cabinet ministers cannot dissociate themselves from, or repudiate the decisions of their Cabinet colleagues unless they resign from the Cabinet. It is the Prime Minister's role as Chair of the Cabinet, where necessary, to enforce Cabinet solidarity";

(b)for the first time in the history of the Liberal-National Coalition, three National Party Ministers in the Cabinet failed to vote for the Cabinet's position, contrary to the Prime Minister's Cabinet Handbook and Cabinet solidarity; and

(c)the dysfunction and division in the Government means the Prime Minister and his Ministers are spending every minute fighting for their own jobs and not the jobs of Australians; and

(2)therefore, condemns the Prime Minister for being so weak and leading a Government that is so divided that the Prime Minister is powerless to act.

Division, chaos and destruction—business as usual and the Turnbull government—

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