SA Liberal MP Tony Pasin adds fuel to the fire over Christopher Pyne’s new role
South Australian Liberal MP Tony Pasin has joined a chorus of critics who believe former defence minister Christopher Pyne’s new role does not pass the pub test.
- Pyne defends new job as senator Rex Patrick pushes for inquiry
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South Australian Liberal MP Tony Pasin has joined a chorus of critics who believe former defence minister Christopher Pyne’s new role as a defence consultant does not pass the pub test.
Mr Pyne, who was last month appointed by professional services firm Ernst & Young (EY), on Sunday said he had not breached ministerial standards.
But Barker MP Tony Pasin, in an interview with Sky News, said the controversy around Mr Pyne’s new defence-focused gig “doesn’t reflect well on the political class”.
“I respect Mr Pyne’s judgment and he’ll make sure that he meets the standards specifically,” Mr Pasin said.
“It is not one I would have made.
“Ministers who leave this place, who have been given the great privilege of those offices within the executive, should think seriously about whether decisions they make once they leave are in the spirit of the code or not.
“Or put it plainly, whether it passes the pub test or not.”
“I come from the law ... if there’s a perceived conflict of interest it operates just like any other conflict of interest.”
EY says Mr Pyne will provide occasional high-level strategic advice that did not involve using any information received as a minister.
Mr Pasin also raised the suggestion about tighter rules around ministerial code of conducts.
“I just think it’s something that we should consider more broadly going forward because it doesn’t reflect well on the political class,” Mr Pasin said.
Post-ministerial employment rules require cabinet members wait 18 months before taking roles that could bring them in contact with government and matters they dealt with in their former roles.
Mr Pyne’s new job is at the forefront of a push by Centre Alliance Senator, Rex Patrick, who will on Thursday seek the support of the Senate to establish a committee inquiry into the compliance of former Ministers with the post-ministerial employment rules.
Two Centre Alliance senators, Rex Patrick and Stirling Griff, want to get an upper house inquiry into Mr Pyne’s appointment rolling as soon as Thursday.
Labor is also keen to pursue the matter but is yet to decide what process to use.
Mr Pasin said ultimately parliamentary inquiries were toothless. “They will shine a light on these issues but they don’t have any teeth in terms of what they can do functionally,” he said.
“My suggestion is that we really look at this in a way through the prism of what is not necessarily technically correct but what is in the spirit of the code.” Mr Pasin belongs to the conservative wing of the Liberal Party and has clashed with the moderate and fellow South Australian Mr Pyne in the past.
In 2017, the SA party executive dismissed a complaint that Mr Pyne had allegedly undermined Mr Pasin in the lead up to the 2013 election.
- with AAP