Labor push for fresh probe into Christian Porter’s legal fees

A new probe into former attorney-general Christian Porter could be on the cards if one politician has his way.

Former attorney-general Christian Porter could be the subject of a fresh probe if Labor has its way. The opposition wants Mr Porter’s use of a blind trust to fund part of his legal fees for his defamation action against the ABC investigated by parliament’s privileges committee.

Manager of opposition business Tony Burke on Monday asked for the matter to be referred to the committee so it could determine whether the Pearce MP had acted in contempt of parliament.

“This is not a case of an MP making an honest mistake. This is not a case of carelessness. This is a deliberate and calculated attempt to avoid the entire purpose of the (members’ interests) registry,” Mr Burke told parliament on Monday.

Mr Porter maintained he prop­erly disclosed his interests in accordance with requirements but in September stood down from cabinet, saying the issue had become an “unhelpful ­distraction … Ultimately I decided if I have to make a choice between seeking to pressure the trust to break individuals’ confidential­ity in order to remain in cabinet, or alternatively forego my cabinet position, there is only one choice I could, in all conscience, make.”

Scott Morrison said he considered the matter dealt with after Mr Porter’s resignation, but Mr Burke argued if the house allowed the precedent to stand, it could render the register of interests “worthless”.

Speaker Tony Smith will consider the referral and report back to the house later this week.

NCA NEWSWIRE