Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Upon announcing his ministry on 16 September last year, the Prime Minister unequivocally said:

Well, I want to absolutely scotch any suggestion that there is a cloud over Arthur Sinodinos. There is not. I wouldn’t be appointing Arthur to the incoming ministry if I thought there was any cloud over him.

What has changed materially since then, or did the Prime Minister knowingly appoint Arthur Sinodinos to a key economic portfolio when in fact he believed there was a cloud?

A government member: Are you judge and jury now, Bill?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! There will be silence on my right as well as on my left!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As just about every member of this House knows, including members opposite, Senator Sinodinos is a fundamentally decent man. He is an extremely competent man. He was an absolutely worthy and appropriate appointment to the incoming ministry, and I have to say his actions yesterday entirely vindicate his decency and his honour.