Senate debates
Wednesday, 11 November 2020
Questions without Notice
Ministerial Conduct
2:27 pm
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. A former Liberal government adviser with whom Minister Tudge had a relationship has lodged a formal complaint detailing workplace bullying she experienced from Mr Tudge. The former staff member describes that, after being publicly berated by him on a flight home, she:
… ended up in tears on the plane, the person sitting next to me gave me a very awkward smile and tried to cheer me up. They had witnessed the whole thing and it was very humiliating.
Does the Prime Minister believe that Minister Tudge's behaviour meets the standards he expects of ministers in his government?
2:28 pm
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I note there was a key word missing from Senate Farrell's question, and that was the word 'alleged'. However, I do note and understand from public reports that a complaint has been made to the Department of Finance. As I detailed in response to Senator Waters's question yesterday, there are well-established procedures in relation to the handling of those complaints. They are handled very much independently of government and in a confidential and thorough way in the way in which the department handles those complaints. That proper process ought to be followed, and I have confidence that the Department of Finance will follow it.
Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senate Farrell, a supplementary question?
2:29 pm
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
This morning, Minister Ruston revealed that the Prime Minister has spoken to both Minister Tudge and the complainant. Is the Prime Minister personally investigating the matter, and what action is the Prime Minister taking?
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Ruston informs me that she said that the Prime Minister had spoken to Minister Tudge and the Attorney-General in relation to the matters this week. I don't believe that Minister Ruston said what you have suggested, Senate Farrell.
Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Farrell, a final supplementary question?
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I didn't get an answer to my question about what action the Prime Minister was taking. But, in 2018, Senator Reynolds told the Senate she was 'greatly distressed and disturbed' by bullying of women in the coalition government, declaring it 'has no place in my party'. Does the Prime Minister agree with Senator Reynolds; and, if so, what action is he personally taking to fix the culture within his government?
2:30 pm
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I can certainly tell Senator Farrell and the Senate, as is publicly known, that the Liberal Party has taken action at a national level over the last couple of years in terms of the application of new codes of conduct that have been extensively developed and applied by our national party. This is obviously in addition to and separate from the types of processes that I referred to in relation to parliamentary staff and the operation of the Department of Finance in that regard.
We also at the last election, I note, welcomed the fact that seven of the 14 new Liberal members of parliament elected to our ranks were women. Our cabinet, with six women, including Senator Reynolds, makes sure that our government has a very strong, very firm focus on being as inclusive as possible of all Australians in how we consider and assess policy, how we engage across our country and, indeed, how we engage with one another.