Terri Butler Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Environment and Water
4:13 pm
I move:
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Griffith from moving the following motion immediately. That this House:
(1) notes:
(a) the Member for Bowman is accused of stalking and abusing his own constituents online and taking an inappropriate photo of a woman at work, and he continues to defend these actions;
(b) the Member for Bowman stated on March 27 he would "step down from all Parliamentary roles effective immediately";
(c) despite this, the Member for Bowman remains as Chair of the Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training, which allows him to claim 11 per cent extra of his base salary;
(d) yesterday, coalition MPs, including the Prime Minister, voted to keep him in this role;
(e) the Prime Minister has not acted against the disgraceful Member for Bowman because he is relying on his tainted vote to prop up his slim majority; and
(2) therefore, calls on the Prime Minister to discharge the Member for Bowman from the Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training immediately.
The member for Bowman has been conducting himself very poorly. He himself recognised this when he said on 27 March that he would step down from all parliamentary roles, effective immediately. I have to say, I think people took that, if nothing else, as though it was a good faith announcement from the member for Bowman. And yet yesterday we learnt that he was not just still a member of the standing committee but its chair. In that case, it ought not—
Llew O'Brien Wide Bay, National Party
Is the minister seeking a point of order?
Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment
Leave for the motion is not granted.
Llew O'Brien Wide Bay, National Party
I'll rule on the point of order. There doesn't need to be leave for this particular motion, so the member for Griffith can continue.
Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment
4:15 pm
I move:
That the Member be no longer heard.
Tony Smith Speaker
The question is that the member for Griffith be no longer heard.
Anika Wells Lilley, Australian Labor Party
I second the motion. Why the protection racket, when the standard that you walk past is the standard that you accept? I heard many members opposite say they felt that what the member for Bowman had done was outrageous, yet they came into the chamber and they voted to keep him.
Sussan Ley Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment
4:24 pm
I move:
That the Member be no longer heard.
Tony Smith Speaker
The question is that the member for Lilley be no further heard.
Tony Smith Speaker
4:27 pm
The question now is that the motion moved by the member for Griffith be disagreed to.