House debates Motions

Assistant Treasurer

Tuesday, 1 September 2020 House of Representatives

Jason Clare

Jason Clare Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government

4:38 pm

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) extensive media reporting the Assistant Treasurer was involved in wide-scale branch stacking;

(b) clear evidence the Assistant Treasurer saw and approved plans for electorate staff to engage in branch stacking—

Michael Sukkar

Michael Sukkar Deakin, Liberal Party, Assistant Treasurer

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

Ian Goodenough

Ian Goodenough Moore, Liberal Party

Please continue, Member for Blaxland.

Jason Clare

Jason Clare Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) extensive media reporting the Assistant Treasurer was involved in wide-scale branch stacking;

(b) clear evidence the Assistant Treasurer saw and approved plans for electorate staff to engage in branch stacking;

(c) reports the Assistant Treasurer used taxpayer money to pay one of his best friends to produce party political material soliciting donations for the Liberal Party;

(d) the Assistant Treasurer's conduct breaches both paragraph 4.1 of the Prime Minister's Ministerial Standards and paragraph 2 of the Special Minister of State's Determination;

(e) the Prime Minister has failed to take any action against the Assistant Treasurer, who is doing too much branch-stacking and not enough HomeBuilding; and

(f) in the middle of the first recession in three decades, the Assistant Treasurer should be focussed on helping the Australian people and doing his job, not helping himself; and

(2) calls on the Assistant Treasurer to attend this House and make a statement for a period not exceeding 30 minutes explaining his actions to the Australian people.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Blaxland from moving the following motion immediately—

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) extensive media reporting the Assistant Treasurer was involved in wide-scale branch stacking;

(b) clear evidence the Assistant Treasurer saw and approved plans for electorate staff to engage in branch stacking;

(c) reports the Assistant Treasurer used taxpayer money to pay one of his best friends to produce party political material soliciting donations for the Liberal Party;

(d) the Assistant Treasurer's conduct breaches both paragraph 4.1 of the Prime Minister's Ministerial Standards and paragraph 2 of the Special Minister of State's Determination;

(e) the Prime Minister has failed to take any action against the Assistant Treasurer, who is doing too much branch-stacking and not enough HomeBuilding; and

(f) in the middle of the first recession in three decades, the Assistant Treasurer should be focussed on helping the Australian people and doing his job, not helping himself; and

(2) calls on the Assistant Treasurer to attend this House and make a statement for a period not exceeding 30 minutes explaining his actions to the Australian people.

He has a perfect opportunity to see if his defence stacks up—

Michael Sukkar

Michael Sukkar Deakin, Liberal Party, Assistant Treasurer

4:41 pm

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

A division having been called and the bells having been rung—

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

Lock the doors!

Mr Conroy interjecting

Order! Member for Shortland, you've already been thrown out and now you're back. It can happen again. The question is that the member for Blaxland be no further heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

4:49 pm

Is the motion seconded? The member for Whitlam.

Stephen Jones

Stephen Jones Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer

This does not stack up. This minister must go!

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The member for Whitlam will resume his seat. The minister has the call.

Michael Sukkar

Michael Sukkar Deakin, Liberal Party, Assistant Treasurer

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The question is that the member be no longer heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

4:53 pm

The question now is that the motion moved be agreed to.

Mark Butler

Mark Butler Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy

This minister is more grass fielder than home builder, and he joins a list of ministers who should go—

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The member will resume his seat. I call the Assistant Treasurer.

Michael Sukkar

Michael Sukkar Deakin, Liberal Party, Assistant Treasurer

I move:

That the question be now put.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The question is that the question be now put.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

4:56 pm

The question now is that the motion moved by the member for Blaxland be disagreed to.