Scott Morrison not told of Christian Porter’s blind trust

Christian Porter did not advise Scott Morrison in advance about anonymous donations he received to help pay for his now abandoned legal fight against the ABC.

Scott Morrison in question time on Monday. Picture: Gary Ramage

Former attorney-general Christian Porter did not advise Scott Morrison in advance about anonymous donations he received to help pay for his now abandoned legal fight against the ABC.

Mr Porter’s blind trust was the subject of a fiery Senate estimates exchange on Monday. Labor senator Penny Wong pressed Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet officials on what ­advice Mr Porter had sought about the blind trust before he uploaded the anonymous donations to his member’s interests register.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham told the Senate committee he understood the Prime Minister had found out about the donations when Mr Porter made the disclosure.

“That’s an extraordinary thing to say, that a cabinet minister wouldn’t even tell the Prime Minister about a disclosure of that importance or his office,” Senator Wong said.

Senator Birmingham said he would report back if there were any discrepancies with the evidence he had given.

Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet first assistant secretary John Reid said the department was first made aware about the anonymous funds on September 14 – the same day the story about the blind trust broke.

The department had been tasked with investigating whether Mr Porter’s blind trust aligned with ministerial standards but he resigned from the frontbench in September before the department’s review was able to reach a conclusion.