Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 26, standing in Senator Wong's name and relating to an order for the production of documents, by omitting paragraph 1(d).

Leave granted.

I move:

(1) That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) that Mr Christopher Pyne served as the Minister for Defence Industry from 19 July 2016 to 28 August 2018, and as the Minister for Defence from 28 August 2018 to 11 April 2019,

(ii) that Mr Pyne has taken employment with consulting firm EY,

(iii) Mr Pyne's statement that he is "looking forward to providing strategic advice to EY, as the firm looks to expand its footprint in the defence industry", and

(iv) EY's statement that Mr Pyne will help build EY's defence-related business in South Australia and elsewhere, including helping to "lead conversations about what all states need to do to meet the challenges and opportunities this defence investment will bring";

(b) endorses:

(i) Senator Birmingham's statement that the Government expects that "everybody should adhere to that Code of Conduct and that includes Christopher", and

(ii) Senator Abetz's statement on Mr Pyne's conduct that "people do expect a standard from the ministers and then former ministers to ensure that which they have learnt and gleaned from their ministerial roles are not exported into other roles from which they can potentially gain financially";

(c) further notes:

(i) that Ms Julie Bishop served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 18 September 2013 to 28 August 2018,

(ii) that Ms Bishop has now been appointed to the board of Palladium, a global impact investing and consultancy group which was awarded more than half a billion dollars in government contracts while Ms Bishop was the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and

(iii) Palladium's statement that "Ms Bishop brings a network of global contacts, years of public service experience and background in driving innovation in international development";

(e) calls on the Prime Minister to take appropriate action; and

(f) orders that there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Prime Minister, by no later than 10 am on 22 July 2019, a letter from the Prime Minister outlining in detail:

(i) when Mr Morrison was first made aware of the actions of Mr Pyne or Ms Bishop,

(ii) what action the Prime Minister has taken since being made aware, and

(iii) how the Prime Minister's Statement of Ministerial Standards has not been breached or alternatively what arrangements have been put in place to ensure they are not breached.

(2) That, at 12.20 pm on 22 July 2019, before government business is called on, a senator may ask the relevant minister for an explanation of the response to the order contained in paragraph (f) or for an explanation of the failure to respond, and:

(a) the senator may, at the conclusion of the explanation, move without notice—That the Senate take note of the explanation; or

(b) in the event that the minister does not respond to the order or provide an explanation, the senator may, without notice, move a motion in relation to the minister's failure to provide either a response or an explanation.

Question agreed to.