MARK DREYFUS MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
SENATOR MURRAY WATT
SHADOW MINISTER FOR NORTHERN AUSTRALIA
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DISASTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
SHADOW MINISTER FOR QUEENSLAND RESOURCES
LABOR SENATOR FOR QUEENSLAND
BLIND TRUST QUESTIONS FOR STUART ROBERT
New questions have emerged at Senate Estimates regarding a blind trust created by key Scott Morrison ally and Cabinet Minister, Stuart Robert, to manage his extensive personal investments.
On his return to the Morrison Ministry in 2018 Mr Robert said he transferred his investments to a blind trust. These included shares held by family trusts and self-managed superannuation funds.
Mr Robert has refused to disclose the name of his blind trust, and the identity of his trustee.
What has Mr Robert got to hide? Who is his mystery trustee?
Government Senate Leader Senator Simon Birmingham was unable to explain how Mr Robert has complied with the Statement of Ministerial Standards, which sets out clear requirements for Ministers with blind trusts, to ensure they manage potential conflicts of interest.
Only five months ago Christian Porter resigned over secret donations to a blind trust established to fund his defamation action.
At the time, the Prime Minister said Mr Porter’s resignation was due to his “inability…to be able to practically provide further information because of the nature of those arrangements…that would allow Minister Porter to conclusively rule out a perceived conflict.”
How are Minister Robert’s circumstances any different to those that cost Christian Porter his job?”
Is Mr Morrison just trying to protect his mate and his slim parliamentary majority?
Mr Robert has form, having previously resigned from the Ministry over clear conflicts between his public duty and his private business interests.
Mr Robert must come clean - who is his mystery trustee and what steps has he taken to manage any conflicts of interest?
TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2022
