Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Honourable members have heard the comments of the Leader of the House. In terms of the ministerial standards, I have received absolutely unequivocal assurances from the Deputy Prime Minister that he has fully complied with all parliamentary disclosure requirements and with the Statement of Ministerial Standards. He has given me unequivocal assurances that he has been scrupulous in ensuring the legitimacy and accuracy of any claim for entitlement to ministerial, parliamentary or travel allowance. If the honourable members opposite wish to assert that he has breached a clause in the ministerial standards then they should identify the clause.

We will now deal with the matter relating to Mr Maguire. The ministerial standards say at 2.21:

Ministers, in their official capacity, may therefore accept customary official gifts, hospitality, tokens of appreciation, and similar formal gestures in accordance with the relevant guidelines, but must not seek or encourage any form of gift in their personal capacity.

The Deputy Prime Minister has given his response to that. He's made it clear. His account is that he did not encourage or solicit the gift. Unless honourable members opposite are able to present a case that his statements are false then he has not breached that particular ministerial standard which I just quoted from.

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