Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is again to the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction. I refer to the minister's statement that 'all disclosures have been made in accordance with the rules'. I also refer to the minister's obligation under ministerial standards to disclose private interests to the parliament and not to mislead this House. Why, in his latest statement of members' interests, did the minister disclose Gufee's interest in Maclaughlin River Pastoral Company but not Jam Land?

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House, on a point of order?

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

Mr Brian Mitchell interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Member for Lyons, do you want to walk or do you want me to go through it? We've done it enough. The member for Lyons will leave under 94(a).

The member for Lyons then left the chamber.

The Leader of the House.

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So this time the member wedged in the words 'ministerial disclosure', but eventually asked a question which was the same question again about the member's disclosure as a member of parliament, which again is not inside his ministerial responsibility.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll hear from the Manager of Opposition Business.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, to make plain what the question specifically referred to, it referred to the Statement of Ministerial Standards, which itself includes the statement:

All parliamentarians are required to disclose private interests to the parliament. Given the additional powers of Ministers and Assistant Ministers, I expect them—

these are the words of the Prime Minister—

to provide me with additional information about their private interests to ensure there are no conflicts with their roles as ministers.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will hear from the Leader of the House again.

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The last part of the question was 'why in his latest statement of members' interests' and then went on to add some information there. It was a question about members' interests.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I just make the point to the Leader of the House that I listened to the question closely. The substance of the question was about the ministerial code. That was in the question. The substance of the question was about the ministerial code, and I'm going to allow it. The minister has the call.

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, the answer is: because I have declared my interests in accordance with the rules. If Labor is proposing to change the rules, it would require many changes in disclosures, including from those opposite.