House debates Questions without Notice
Members of Parliament: Staff
Tony Pasin Barker, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister Assisting for Fisheries and Forestry
3:01 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Did the Prime Minister provide Rhys Muldoon with a reference for his Australia Day ambassadorial role or, indeed, for any other roles?
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
I'm asked about Mr Muldoon and about his comments and about the roles that he has played. Let me say this. There are two roles in which action has been taken. One was when he was a relief staff casual employee for Senator Dowling. When people became aware of them and Senator Dowling became aware of them, he took immediate action. That's appropriate. With regard to his role as an ambassador, I'm advised that he has been an ambassador since 2014. I'm advised that he was not an ambassador this year, in 2026. The assistant minister has taken action today, who has responsibility for those issues, to clearly say that it is not appropriate for him to be an ambassador. I find his comments outrageous and completely unacceptable.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
I table a document which states that parliamentary records show former Peter Dutton staffer Sam Jackson-Hope, who was previously named by Liberal sources as a key point person for the Brethren during the campaign within the opposition's election campaign for coordinating the Brethren's involvement, is now working in opposition leader Angus Taylor's office as an advisor.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Hon. Members:
Honourable members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order! The member for Leichhardt will leave the chamber under 94(a). Those sorts of interjections are completely disorderly.
The member for Leichhardt then left the chamber.
The Leader of the House has tabled the document. The Manager of Opposition Business, on a point of order?
Dan Tehan Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction
I ask the Prime Minister to withdraw the unparliamentary remark he made about the Leader of the Opposition.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Members:
Government members interjecting—
Milton Dick Speaker
We'll handle this in the normal way. Did the Prime Minister give an unparliamentary remark?