Christopher Pyne, Julie Bishop not in breach of ministerial standards, Senator Mathias Cormann says
Julie Bishop and Christopher Pyne have been cleared after questions were raised over whether their new jobs post-politics breached ministerial standards.
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has no powers over former ministers that breach post-employment standards once they have left parliament, according to advice from his department head.
It comes as correspondence between Mr Morrison and Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Dr Martin Parkinson, tabled in parliament on Monday, reveals Dr Parkinson had “no grounds” to believe that the new jobs of former cabinet ministers Christopher Pyne and Julie Bishop breach the ministerial standards.
Despite the finding, Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick will push ahead with a probe into compliance of the ministerial standards, and has questioned their integrity.
“If the statement of ministerial standards is to have any real meaning, to have any real effect, we must look to the detail of how they are being enforced,” Senator Patrick said.
“And it’s my view that they are not. So this is a test for the Prime Minister, and thus far he’s failing.”
Mr Morrison earlier this month sought advice from the head of his department over the post-ministerial employment rules — after Mr Pyne’s new job as a defence consultant for professional services firm Ernst & Young was deemed not to pass the pub test by Liberal colleagues.
Senator Cormann, on behalf of Mr Morrison, confirmed Mr Pyne and Ms Bishop were not in breach of the code, which requires Cabinet members to wait 18 months before taking roles that could bring them in contact with government and matters they dealt with in their former roles.
In a letter to Mr Morrison, Dr Parkinson wrote: “While there are certain actions available to you when considering the conduct of a current serving minister, and a possible breach of the standards, there are not specific actions that can be taken by you in relation to former ministers once they have left the parliament”.
The communication also reveals that Dr Parkinson spoke with Mr Pyne and Ms Bishop on July 11 about their new jobs.
“I am satisfied that My Pyne is plainly aware of his obligations under the standards, and that he is aware he cannot use information known only to him because of his ministerial role to the benefit of himself or EY,” Dr Parkinson wrote.
“I consider that he has put in place mechanisms to ensure that whilst his engagement with EY will appropriately draw on his 26 year experience as a parliamentarian, he will not impart direct of specific knowledge known to him only by virtue of his ministerial position.”
He also wrote that Ms Bishop - who took a board position at Palladium, which received government contracts while she was in office - indicated that “she did not have any contact with Palladium in the five years that she was Minister for Foreign Affairs”.
“Ms Bishop has assured me that she will comply with the standards,” Dr Parkinson wrote.
Senator Cormann, in an ABC interview on Monday, said Dr Parkinson’s advice to the Prime Minister was that there was “no breach”.
“Members of parliament, when they leave parliament still have to work,” Senator Cormann said.
“Former ministers Pyne and Bishop are not in breach.
“Both former ministers are well aware of their obligations.”
Senator Cormann said he was “very confident” Mr Pyne, and Ms Bishop would continue to act consistently with the standards in this term of parliament.
Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick, who was awaiting Senator Cormann’s address, said: “On what is before me at present, I will still be asking the Senate to conduct an inquiry”.
Labor Senator Kristina Keneally slammed Mr Morrison saying if the standards are not enforced, “they are essentially worthless”.
“Mr. Morrison now owns this process, he owns this report,” Senator Keneally said.
“He owns every action of Mr Pyne and Ms Bishop in these roles they have taken up, every conflict of interest that they have, and failed to manage.”