Member conduct
Jess WILSON (Kew) (14:05): My question is to the Assistant Treasurer. As reported yesterday, the Assistant Treasurer signed a brief on 25 June 2021 in which he authorised DTF to enter into a new telecommunications lease with Telstra whilst holding a substantial parcel of shares in Telstra. Why didn’t the Assistant Treasurer recuse himself from this decision because of his clear conflict of interest?
Danny PEARSON (Essendon – Minister for Government Services, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC, Minister for Consumer Affairs) (14:06): Well, I just refer the member to my previous answer.
Jess WILSON (Kew) (14:06): This latest example of a clear conflict of interest is in addition to the Assistant Treasurer profiting from Commonwealth Bank shares whilst overseeing a new government banking contract awarded to the Commonwealth Bank; profiting from government decisions that benefited CSL, Beach Energy, Computershare, Bega Cheese and Telstra all whilst an active shareholder in each company; and profiting from Commonwealth Bank shares whilst authorising three new government contracts with the Commonwealth Bank. How many more examples of the Assistant Treasurer breaking the ministerial code of conduct are needed before he will do the right thing and resign?
Danny PEARSON (Essendon – Minister for Government Services, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC, Minister for Consumer Affairs) (14:07): I do not accept the underlying proposition put by the member for Kew, and I refer the member to my previous answers.