Scott Morrison rejects Christian Porter ‘political trial’

Scott Morrison has accused Labor of using parliamentary procedure to smear the Coalition over Mr Porter’s blind trust.

Industry Minister Christian Porter. Picture: Martin Ollman

Scott Morrison said former federal attorney-general Christian Porter’s blind trust has been subject to a “political trial” as he ­defended the government’s decision to block Labor’s attempt to refer the anonymous donations to the privileges committee.

The opposition on Monday moved a motion for Mr Porter’s use of a blind trust to help fund his legal fees for his defamation case against the ABC to be placed under the microscope of the privileges committee, but the government used its numbers in the lower house on Wednesday to vote against a Speaker-­endorsed referral.

Government Leader of the House Peter Dutton revealed he had written to the chair of the privileges committee on Monday, requesting clarification about ­donations from third parties for personal legal matters.

The Prime Minister said Mr Dutton’s request for clarity would look into the broader issues of crowd-funding arrangements and make sure “rules are clear and that everybody can be judged on the same basis … There are a number of members who have had these arrangements … and they’re in the parliament now. There isn’t just one,” he said.

“Some will try and pursue this as a political trial.”