PM responds to George Christensen trips
Scott Morrison says George Christensen hasn’t been to the Philippines since he became PM, following reports of frequent trips.
Scott Morrison says Nationals MP George Christensen has not spent one day in the Philippines since he became prime minister and he expects MPs to be “in their electorates doing their jobs.”
The Herald Sun reports today Mr Christensen spent more time in the Philippines — which is 5000km away from his marginal Queensland electorate of Dawson — than in federal parliament last year, having made 28 trips between April 2014 and last June.
“All I can say is George hasn’t spent a day in the Philippines since I’ve been prime minister. Not a day,” Mr Morrison said in Sydney today.
“I endeavoured to contact him yesterday but we were both travelling at the time — in Australia I should stress.
“I’ve spoken to the leader of the National Party about it and he’s making comments about this as well. But I can tell you it hasn’t happened on my watch.
“He hasn’t (been in the Philippines since I became prime minister) and I expect members to be in electorates doing their jobs.”
Resources Minister Matt Canavan said Mr Christensen is such a frequent traveller because he’s “met someone to spend his life with.”
Mr Christensen announced his engagement to Filipino woman April Asuncion in August last year and has previously said he had only been to the Philippines eight times. The Herald Sun’s report disputes that and states he was there 19 times before his engagement.
Mr Canavan said despite his frequent time in Manila, Mr Christensen was a dedicated local MP and that he deserved his privacy.
“This is a massive beat up which is an invasion of George’s privacy as well,” Senator Canavan told Sky News.
“His fiancee is from the Philippines. I think it’s great he’s met someone to spend his life with, and good luck to him.
“He’s done a lot of charity work in the Philippines as well through his church. He’s spent his money doing this as well.”
Last year, Mr Christensen said he had been the subject of “highly defamatory” allegations
after a front-page story in The Herald Sun reported a federal government MP’s “frequent trips to seedy neighbourhoods in Southeast Asia” had been scrutinised by police amid blackmail concerns.
Mr Christensen told The Herald Sun last night: “As far as I’m concerned and the facts are concerned, this matter is over.”
The Australian is not suggesting Mr Christensen has engaged in any wrongdoing.
Mr Morrison refused to comment any possible AFP briefings on Mr Christensen and said the National MP was conducting “private business.”
“It’s private business and I don’t go into his private business,” Mr Morrison said.
“He hasn’t wasn’t travelling there officially, I understand, and what he does in his private time is a matter for him.”
The Herald Sun reports Mr Christensen spent 72 days in the Philippines in 2016, and again in 2017, during the course of 13 separate trips which ranged in duration from five days to 29 days over Christmas-New Year.
In comparison, the House of Representatives sat for 51 days and 64 days in those years.
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