Julie Bishop calls for “formal investigation” into cabinet leaks
FOREIGN Minister Julie Bishop has called for a “formal investigation” into cabinet leaks this week after the Daily Telegraph revealed the Turnbull Cabinet had discussed holding a Royal Commission into the banking sector.
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FOREIGN Minister Julie Bishop has called for a “formal investigation” into cabinet leaks this week to The Daily Telegraph.
And Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has indicated the leaks could be by someone trying to “damage” the government and the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
The Daily Telegraph revealed Mr Turnbull and his ministry discussed holding a Royal Commission into the banking sector in Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting in Canberra.
The Cabinet meeting was “calm and rational but despondent”.
According to colleagues present, Treasurer Scott Morrison is understood to have vehemently disagreed with holding a Royal Commission into the banks, while Immigration Minister Peter Dutton was said to be opposed in principle but was open to it as an option that should be considered.
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Ms Bishop gave a statement into Sky News saying the leak did not come from her.
“It is not me,” she said in a statement.
“I would support a formal investigation into the leak.”
In an interview on Ray Hadley’s radio program, Mr Dutton said: “If you’ve got leaks out of cabinet then it’s a poor reflection on the character of the person,” he said.
The discussions about holding a Royal Commission into misconduct in the banking sector were prompted by threats from Coalition backbenchers that they would cross the floor to launch a Commission of Inquiry into the banks.
“We don’t live in a dictatorship,” Mr Dutton told Mr Hadley.
“Prime minister’s want frank advice and I give frank advice and we work to get the best possible outcome and if people believe that somehow their careers are furthered by leaking or by trying to put out something that’s going to damage the government or damage me or damage Malcolm then it says more about them.”
Asked if he supports Ms Bishop’s call for an investigation into the Cabinet leak, Treasurer Scott Morrison said: “I think it’s incredibly important that these issues are resolved and that’s a matter I’m sure the Prime Minister has well in hand.”