Deputy Prime Minister

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Isaacs MP Mark Dreyfus (Labor), which means it failed. It was a motion to suspend the usual procedural rules - known as standing orders - in order to let another vote take place.

Motion text

That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Deputy Manager of Opposition Business from moving the following motion immediately—The House:

(1)notes:

(a)the Daily Telegraph reports today that the Deputy Prime Minister rang a benefactor for a place to stay and received a gift of rent-free accommodation worth an estimated $12,000;

(b)the Deputy Prime Minister continues to benefit from this gift;

(c)the Prime Minister's own Statement of Ministerial Standards clearly states Ministers "must not seek or encourage any form of gift in their personal capacity";

(d)the Prime Minister alone is responsible for enforcing his own Ministerial Standards;

(e)this is an open and shut case of a breach of the Ministerial Standards; and

(f)that if the Prime Minister will not take action on such a clear and egregious breach of his Ministerial Standards then they are worthless; and

(2)therefore, calls on the Prime Minister to immediately sack the Deputy Prime Minister for clearly breaching the Prime Minister's Statement of Ministerial Standards.