QandA: Malcolm Turnbull concedes he may have been ’too forgiving’ of Christian Porter

Former prime minister concedes he should have done more than give ‘fatherly advice’ to Attorney-General Christian Porter.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull on ABC TV's QandA on Monday night.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has conceded he may have been “too forgiving” to Attorney-General Christian Porter, but panellists on ABC TV’s QandA clashed over whether the allegations of parliamentary affairs constituted being brought into the public domain.

After the former PM told Four Corners the conduct of Mr Porter and the Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge were central to his decision in 2018 to implement a “bonk ban”, Mr Turnbull said he was unaware of the full extent of Mr Porter’s behaviour.

“I think that is fair criticism. At the time – you know, I was aware of there having been an incident that had, you know, got a bit of notoriety … So I gave him some fatherly or advice which — advice which he accepted, didn‘t argue with me. You may be right – maybe I was too forgiving,” Mr Turnbull said.

“If I had known at the time what was broadcast tonight, I would have made further inquiries before I made him Attorney-General. I think that‘s true.”

On Monday night, ABC TV’s Four Corners claimed several married MPs were sleeping with staffers — part of an alleged broader culture of alleged sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour inside Parliament House. Mr Turnbull told the program he warned Mr Porter his behaviour posed an “unacceptable risk”.

What do you make of tonight’s Four Corners investigation into the conduct of some of our most senior politicians? #QandA pic.twitter.com/v3K0PFw4vF

— QandA (@QandA) November 9, 2020

While noting the program brought up an array of issues, The Australian’s editor-at-large Paul Kelly said it may have “crashed through some media barriers”.

“That program was about two senior ministers, and it was essentially – in the case of one of them – about an affair he‘d had. Now, politicians have affairs. Ministers have affairs. I’ve known prime ministers who’ve had affairs,” Kelly said.

“So, we‘ve got to ask ourselves – how far do we go in terms of the definition of ‘public interest’? And we should have a debate about this.

“In the case of Christian Porter, this is someone who‘s served with distinction in the West Australian parliament and in the national parliament, and he’s trashed tonight as someone who’s nothing much more than, as a young man who vomited in a bag, kissed girls, and was a committed sexist.”

While discussing the viability of former PM Kevin Rudd’s petition for a royal commission into media ownership in Australia, Mr Turnbull labelled The Australian “undiluted propaganda”, while asserting News Corp’s climate denialism had “done enormous damage to the world”.

“The reality is, News Corp and Murdoch have done enormous damage to Western democracy and, in particular, to the United States and Australia. And in particular, on the subject of global warming,” Mr Turnbull said.

However, Kelly said Mr Turnbull’s recriminations were primarily based on his acrimonious departure from the Liberal Party.

“If we‘re looking at the media in this country, one of the realities about the media is the business model of every media organisation, of every media outlet, has a built-in political constituency,” Kelly said.

“Your problem was with the right wing of the Liberal Party. At the end of the day, you failed to manage it properly. Now, I understand you being upset about our company. But essentially, what you‘re doing is … No, you’re transferring your own political failures and wishing to blame our company for them.”

The panel — which also included former Labor foreign minister Bob Carr and author Jenny Hocking — also discussed the tumultuous US presidential election and Donald Trump’s attempts to cast doubt on the result.

“What he’s doing now is nothing less than what Hitler did in Germany in the 1920s, which is saying there is a conspiracy that’s robbed the people of their choice. It is all flawed, the election has been stolen from us,” Mr Carr said.

“There is no evidence of this — not the remotest evidence — and I think it‘s to the disgrace of people in corners of the American and Australian media who’ve taken this up.”

How will Joe Biden navigate a post-Trump presidency? #QandA pic.twitter.com/PoZuur0qNA

— QandA (@QandA) November 9, 2020

Ms Hocking said she was concerned Mr Trump’s actions had already inflicted “lasting damage on the fabric of the political process itself”. While touting his success in changing Mr Trump‘s mind on trade policy, Mr Turnbull said the President had set out to “recklessly and irresponsibly to divide America”.

“And while that may have helped him electorally, it has left America more divided, more fractured, and hence weaker than it has been in years past.”

How will Joe Biden navigate a post-Trump presidency? #QandA pic.twitter.com/PoZuur0qNA

— QandA (@QandA) November 9, 2020