Transcript - Television Interview - Sky News with Tom Connell - Thursday, 21 October

SUBJECTS: Christian Porter, National Anti-Corruption Commission
 
TOM CONNELL, HOST: Let's turn to the Christian Porter's blind trust at this stage, perhaps it won't be examined by Parliament, we'll find out. The Government opposing a referral to the Privileges Committee. Joining me live is my panel, well half of it, Liberal MP Jason Falinski at the moment is an empty chair. Patrick Gorman will no doubt wipe the floor with him, given that debate set up. But you are also the Deputy Chair of the Privileges Committee, so talk us through what happened yesterday. There was this vote to have the legal blind trust referred to the privileges committee that was negatived. But can you look at this anyway?
 
PATRICK GORMAN, SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA: Well, it's a longstanding convention that we don't talk about the matters that are discussed at the Privileges Committee, so I'm not here in any way as a spokesperson for that Committee or able to comment on that Committee's work. But what I can say is what we saw yesterday was unprecedented. That when leave had been granted for such a motion to be moved and then to see just purely on party lines, a protection racket for Christian Porter, I think has given a lot of people a lot of concern about whether we're really eroding the quality in the standards of our Parliament. I think that, put Christian Porter to one side, if you can't have faith in the Register of Members Interests that people are being transparent with their electors, being transparent with their fellow colleagues about who might have influence over them, that's a huge concern. And that's a concern that's been aired publicly for a number of weeks now, since Christian Porter put out that very strange statement. I'd encourage anyone who maybe has given Christian Porter the benefit of the doubt on this to actually go and read what he said on his Register of Interests, where he basically said he wouldn't ask whether where the source comes from.

CONNELL: He says as a potential beneficiary, have no access to information about the conduct and funding of the trust. That's his line on there. I understand what you’re saying about the vote, but can I just clarify? I'm not saying, have you or will you, but is it within your power in this committee to look at this legal blind trust anyway?

GORMAN: People can look at Standing Order 216, which covers off the powers of the Privileges Committee and what it can choose to look at. It's got to look at matters that are referred to it. Those referrals can come in a different, a range of different forms.

CONNELL: That's not really answering the question.

GORMAN: And Tom,

CONNELL: But I'm just saying, I'm just asking if you've at the power. That's fair enough. I'm not saying tell me what happened at nine o'clock in the meeting last night, but what I'm asking is, when you read that standing order, my understanding is you as a committee should be looking at the things referred to you first. But then you could look at other things if you choose to. Is that accurate? So, it is within your remit to look at this, but now it will be lower down the priority list, if you like.

GORMAN: That's how you could choose to characterise it, but what actually goes on at those meetings …

CONNELL: I understand that, but I'm just talking about the power that you have, which is you mentioned it's being in a standing order.

GORMAN: It is responsible for the Register of Members Interests.

CONNELL: You can look at any element of that, including this blind trust?

GORMAN: Yes. And of course, the Leader of the House publicly announced that he had referred the matter to us yesterday in his speech. So, I mean, that's on the public record.

CONNELL: So this was to do with a broader look at?

GORMAN: Crowd funding and legal funding and other issues.

CONNELL: Right.

GORMAN: So.

CONNELL: So would that, does that include then within that remit, it could be Christian Porter's donations that, what was referred on Monday?

GORMAN: Well, the Leader of the House kind of implied that he thought there was a broader problem and it wasn't a specific case. So, I guess it could.

CONNELL: It could. Okay, so it's been referred in a different way, essentially?

GORMAN: Well, it's not the same referral. The referral that was in front of the House, which was  for the House to vote, that was the question in front of members. And on party lines, the Government told their members, told their backbenchers, do not vote for this. There was no party room discussion about it. They made that decision. They basically prejudged, that Christian Porter has done the right thing.

(Interruption)

CONNELL: More information from Melbourne, but in the interim, we did interrupt my interview with Patrick Gorman to get to Annastacia Palaszczuk, felt a bit unfair on your, not your colleague, I guess, but your sparring partner Jason Falinski, who was talking about PEP 11, an issue close to his heart, in the Chamber.

GORMAN: Must be a long speech.

CONNELL: Well, we know he can be verbose. I did want to ask you, though, off the back of what we're talking about with Christian Porter, around the Federal Anti-Corruption Body proposal, the Government wants to limit it to criminal acts that it looks into. Is that fair enough? And if not, specifically, why not?

GORMAN: The Government says that that's what they want to limit it to, but they haven't even legislated that.

CONNELL: I understand they've dragged their feet on it.

GORMAN: We've had more than a thousand days, there’s consultation, you know, it's amazing how many roads lead to Christian Porter, whether it's on disclosures, Federal ICAC, there are so many things that he just either doesn't do the job or doesn't do it in the way that people expect.

CONNELL: It's a fair enough whack on that. They've dragged their feet. But now we're close to it, no, in fact, there are the bells, you're out. Next week.

GORMAN: Next week. Only Labor will deliver a proper Federal Anti-Corruption Commission, with teeth!

CONNELL: There you go. Patrick Gorman delivering the talking points as he leaves.