Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General, and it relates to the ministerial code. I refer to the Attorney-General's disclosure—

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat. Members on my right, when a member is asking a question, they will be heard in silence. I'm going to ask the deputy leader to begin her question again, and I'm asking for silence, particularly on my right.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General, and it relates to the ministerial code. I refer to the Attorney-General's disclosure that he invests in the Greencape Broadcap Fund. Does this fund hold shares in Omni Bridgeway, a listed litigation funding business, which recently issued an ASX statement welcoming a decision from the Attorney-General? If so, is he satisfied that this shareholding does not give rise to a perception of a conflict of interest?

Government members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Members on my left will cease groaning. The member for Moreton is on thin ice again.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. I'm going to read 3.11 of the Code of Conduct for Ministers because it's important that its exact terms be understood:

In recognition of the collective responsibility that Ministers bear in relation to Cabinet decisions, this Code requires that Ministers divest themselves of investments and other interests in any public or private company or business, other than public superannuation funds or publicly listed managed funds or trust arrangements where:

the investments are broadly diversified and the Minister has no influence over investment decisions of the fund or trust; and

the fund or trust does not invest to any significant extent in a business sector that could give rise to a conflict of interest with the Minister's public duty.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think you're in trouble, mate!

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, the Leader of the Opposition and members on my left!

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will examine the matter that has been raised by the honourable member, and I can assure the honourable member and members of this House that I have complied at all times with the Code of Conduct for Ministers. It's a very significant matter, and that's why I have undertaken to look at the matter that has been raised by the honourable member. But I can assure the House that every single one of the publicly listed managed funds that my private superannuation fund invests in have been fully disclosed to this House. They are all, as I said, publicly listed managed funds. They are all investments that are broadly diversified, and they are all funds in which I have no influence over investment decisions of that fund or trust.