Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my question is to the Minister for Defence. I refer the minister to an article by Dennis Shanahan in The Australian which says of the defence minister:

His long-term standing is mortally damaged, he’s lost the confidence of his Cabinet colleagues and his comments have been publicly disowned by the Prime Minister.

Will the minister now walk the plank and resign?

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on both sides!

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Of course not.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer the minister to the editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald today, which says of his performance:

Mr Abbott must be considering not only the future of Senator Johnston but also the performances of other ministers.

It adds:

Mr Abbott eventually will reshuffle cabinet, when he tires of defending the indefensible.

Given that it is now only a matter of time before the minister is reshuffled out of the cabinet, will he do the right thing and resign? (Time expired)

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, no.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I refer the minister to senior journalist Laura Tingle, who described him today as 'a dead man standing', and to Mark Kenny from Fairfax, who said:

A reshuffle when it comes will see him moved—perhaps all the way to the backbench.

Isn't it time the minister did the Prime Minister and his colleagues a favour and resign?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think I have already answered that question.