House debates Questions without Notice
Sinodinos, Senator Arthur
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
3:02 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Upon announcing his ministry on 16 September last year, the Prime Minister unequivocally said:
Well, I want to absolutely scotch any suggestion that there is a cloud over Arthur Sinodinos. There is not. I wouldn’t be appointing Arthur to the incoming ministry if I thought there was any cloud over him.
What has changed materially since then, or did the Prime Minister knowingly appoint Arthur Sinodinos to a key economic portfolio when in fact he believed there was a cloud?
A government member: Are you judge and jury now, Bill?
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
Order! There will be silence on my right as well as on my left!
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
As just about every member of this House knows, including members opposite, Senator Sinodinos is a fundamentally decent man. He is an extremely competent man. He was an absolutely worthy and appropriate appointment to the incoming ministry, and I have to say his actions yesterday entirely vindicate his decency and his honour.