House debates Questions without Notice

Deputy Prime Minister

Wednesday, 14 February 2018 House of Representatives

Mark Dreyfus

Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General

2:32 pm

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. Ministerial standards require ministers to declare their personal interests to the House. The Deputy Prime Minister has declared 'post-election residual of six months tenancy on Armidale premises'. Is the Deputy Prime Minister satisfied his declaration is sufficiently transparent to comply with his obligations under the ministerial standard given he has not declared who gave him this gift? And can the Deputy Prime Minister explain what these words mean: 'post-election residual of six months tenancy on Armidale premises'?

Barnaby Joyce

Barnaby Joyce New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals

2:33 pm

I thank the honourable member for his question. I'm only too happy to provide the details of that. Those details have been published and circulated widely in the media and they would probably satisfy the answer if you read the paper. First and foremost, that tenancy, because it's from a close friend, doesn't need to be declared at all. I chose to declare it. Prior to that date, I wasn't a member of parliament, as you probably remember, so it didn't need to be declared. I've declared it, it's on the record and it's there for you to see.

Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr Dutton interjecting—