Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. Monday night's Four Corners program aired offensive and sexist comments made by the Attorney-General, and a highly respected barrister familiar with his character and conduct queried the Attorney-General's integrity by saying he was 'deeply sexist and actually misogynist in his treatment of women, in the way that he spoke about women'. The Australian Human Rights Commission has conducted a national inquiry into sexual harassment in Australian workplaces. More than six months later, the Morrison government has still not responded. Why is a man described as 'deeply sexist and misogynistic' responsible for responding to this landmark report?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

From what I understand of the episode that aired on Monday night, it had reflections indeed that went back many years, which the Attorney-General, in his statement subsequently, acknowledged. Indeed, he apologised for things that were written when he was a university student and acknowledged they are not the type of thing he would write, say or, indeed, hold views relevant to today. I think the Attorney-General addressed those remarks and I have no doubt, as I said yesterday in response to a question on this report, that when it is responded to it will go through all of the proper processes in relation to the preparation of a government response, and that will involve the engagement of the Office for Women, in Senator Payne's portfolio, of Safe Work Australia, of the Attorney-General's Department and, indeed, of any other relevant agency in the construct of that response.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Gallagher, a supplementary question?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister confirm that the Morrison government's internal Governance Committee of cabinet, which is tasked with providing advice and oversight on integrity issues, including the ministerial standards, is comprised of four men: Mr Morrison, Mr Frydenberg, Mr McCormack and Mr Porter? Why is there not a single woman on the committee responsible for oversight of integrity issues and ministerial standards?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think that list of cabinet committees is public. It's there for all to see and it involves a construction in relation to that committee that is a longstanding construction based upon the portfolios or positions held.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Order on my left! Senator O'Neill!

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So no room for women in there?

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Gallagher.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given what he knows about the Attorney-General, does the Prime Minister truly believe he should be responsible for creating Australia's first Commonwealth Integrity Commission?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, absolutely. The Attorney-General is a skilled officer in terms of his application as Attorney-General. He has worked, in terms of the development of the Commonwealth Integrity Commission—as we yesterday outlined clearly to this chamber—in developing the draft legislation for it, giving detailed consideration to it and seeking to make sure that, in designing that Commonwealth Integrity Commission, we clearly have, in path to legislation, an integrity commission that provides clearly for building upon the various aspects of scrutiny and function right across government at present, ensuring that they operate in a more integrated and effective way, and delivering the appropriate type of oversight to them and additional functions to integrity across government.