House debates Questions without Notice
Minister for Human Services
Bill Shorten Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
2:09 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the Minister for Human Services' trip to China and the Prime Minister's previous answer. Isn't it the case that the Prime Minister has one choice: sack your minister or sack your own ministerial standards? Why does this Prime Minister owe so much to the Minister for Human Services that this is a difficult decision?
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I refer to my earlier answer to the Leader of the Opposition and just remind him that, as he knows, when this matter arose, the process set out in the code was put in train.
Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General
No, it wasn't—
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
The Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is inquiring into the matter and, when he reports back to me with his advice, I will consider it, make a decision about it and then of course advise the House accordingly.
The Leader of the Opposition is smiling now, because he knows how completely captious and foolish this approach is. If he takes the ministerial standards seriously—I hope he does, and we certainly do—then we should ensure that the process for dealing with these matters is done properly. And that is exactly what I am undertaking, in accordance with the code, with the support and assistance of my secretary,.