Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I will outline why Labor is supporting this proposition. On Wednesday next week Mr Turnbull will leave Australia for the United States but Australia's Deputy Prime Minister will not be the Acting Prime Minister. That is because this government knows how untenable it is for him to act as the Prime Minister. In fact, the government's own decision underlines how untenable it is for Mr Joyce to hold any ministerial office—

Senator O'Sullivan interjecting—

and it underlines that the Prime Minister knows this. If he can't be the Acting Prime Minister, why is he still in his job?

The Deputy Prime Minister has repeatedly demonstrated a failure to abide by the standards demanded of ministers. That disqualifies him from any ministerial office, let alone acting as Prime Minister of Australia. I make very clear at the outset that I make no judgement—

Government senators interjecting—