Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Innovation) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Briggs was forced to resign after a female public servant made a complaint about his behaviour. The Prime Minister didn't lose just one minister on that day; there was a second minister that he lost on that day, and that was Mr Mal Brough. He was stood down due to an AFP investigation into the well-known James Ashby affair—you should remember that. A few months later, in February 2016, he was forced to formally resign. That was No. 2 of the seven.

Let's continue with the list. Literally just a few days later, under the leadership of Mr Turnbull, who promised so much in that day that he took over from Prime Minister Abbott—a first-term Liberal Prime Minister—Stuart Robert breached ministerial standards, and, of course, he was forced to resign. No. 3. Three down.

Senator McAllister interjecting—

Well, I don't know if we should believe there are any on the record, there are so many questions around the departure of Mr Robert. But I do believe it was that significant trading interest that we have with China. Just when you thought there were no more resignations and our new year's present for this year was going to be stability, instead we had the resignation of Ms Ley. She was forced to resign because of the scandal that developed from her use of travel expenses and entitlements. So we're down to No. 4.

There are a range of reasons why these ministers have had to leave. There's no theme that I can see that connects them; it's just another sign they can't even be unified in the theme of departure. They've all left over a multitude of sins. We know what happened to Mr Joyce, the Deputy Prime Minister—and I'm happy to acknowledge him as so. Now he has returned after his period of exile, having been the fifth minister to resign. Then we lost Senator Nash and Senator Canavan as well. All of this, just in a matter of a few months. So, seven it is. As we come to the seven days of Christmas, maybe there could be a moment to recall each one of those as they leave.

But today we have seen, in the question that Senator Wong asked, a list of the things that are characteristic of this chaotic, dysfunctional and disunified government under Mr Turnbull. All they know is how to divide, not how to deliver. These resignations really beg the question: how can Mr Turnbull possibly lead a nation when he cannot even lead his own ministry? He can't keep his team together, he can't keep the ministry together and he's certainly not keeping the country together, as we see with the passage of legislation after the most disunifying effort of engagement with the marriage equality matter. (Time expired)