Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 132 standing in my name relating to the Prime Minister's Statement of Ministerial Standards.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) clauses 2.2 and 2.3 of the Prime Minister's Statement of Ministerial Standards, dated 20 August 2018, states:

Ministers must declare and register their personal interests, including but not limited to pecuniary interests, as required by the Parliament from time to time. Ministers must also comply with any additional requirements for declarations of interests to the Prime Minister as may be determined by the Prime Minister, and notify the Prime Minister of any significant change in their private interests within 28 days of its occurrence.

Failure to declare or register a relevant and substantive personal interest as required by the Parliament constitutes a breach of these Standards.',

  (ii) resolutions of both the Senate and the House of Representatives require parliamentarians to declare their registrable interests,

  (iii) these resolutions act as a safeguard against conflicts of interest, and the perception of such conflicts, by enhancing transparency in relation to interests held by senators andmembers,

  (iv) registrable interests for both senators and members of the House of Representatives include, shareholdings in public and private companies,

  (v) the current Register of Interests Statement for the Mr Taylor (the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction):

(A) declares an interest in Gufee Pty Ltd (ACN 080 516 294), and

(B) does not declare an interest in Jam Land Pty Ltd (ACN 131 115 789),

  (vi) on 24 July 2019, in response to a question on notice, Senator Birmingham stated 'Minister Taylor has always declared his interests as required under both the House Register of Interests and the Ministerial Code of Conduct', and

  (vii) limiting declarations to direct shareholdings, rather than any indirect private interests from which members derive a benefit, undermines the objectives of the Register of Interests and the Ministerial Standards; and

(b) calls on the Prime Minister to uphold his own Ministerial Standards and affirm that all Ministers declare and register all shareholdings of the private companies in which the Minister has declared an interest.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) | Link to this | Hansard source

This motion is a political stunt and nothing more. As all senators know, ministers must comply with the requirements set by parliament through the registers of members' and senators' interests. All ministers are expected to conduct themselves in line with standards established in the Statement of Ministerial Standards. Minister Taylor has complied with these requirements.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that general business notice of motion No. 132 standing in the name of Senator Waters, as amended, be agreed to.