Prime Minister Scott Morrison says no action will be taken against ministers following a Four Corners report into alleged misconduct, while the Attorney-General denies ever being in a relationship with a political staffer.
Key points:
- The Prime Minister says ministers understand the expectations placed upon them
- A Four Corners investigation has revealed concerns about Christian Porter’s attitude towards women
- Mr Porter has denied the claims made against him
Questions have been raised about Federal Attorney-General Christian Porter’s attitude towards women, after a Four Corners investigation revealed a history of sexism and inappropriate behaviour.
The program also revealed that Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge had an affair with a former adviser in 2017. Mr Tudge has apologised for his actions and the hurt they caused.
When asked whether the report raised concerns about either man’s fitness for office, Mr Morrison said he believed the issues it touched on were “very important”.
But he said the behaviour occurred under, and was dealt with by, previous prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, and he would not be taking disciplinary action or investigating the matters further.
“They relate to circumstances that occurred that were pertinent to the Prime Minister at the time, and put to the Cabinet and the Ministry, and those matters were dealt with then,” he said.
“It raises considerable cost and hurt, we are all accountable for our own behaviour.
a rule first introduced by Mr Turnbull and dubbed the “bonk ban”.
“I believe that was a very important step in changing a culture,” Mr Morrison said.
“And that culture, you will all know, is not restricted to Government or Opposition, to Labor or Liberal, or frankly, the media.”
Speaking alongside Mr Morrison, Social Services Minister Anne Ruston said she had always felt supported by him and the rest of her Cabinet colleagues.
‘No substance’ to rumours, Attorney-General says
In the program, Four Corners detailed how Mr Porter raised eyebrows after being seen with a young woman, who was working for a different Cabinet minister, at a bar in Canberra.
Former Liberal staffer Rachelle Miller, who had the affair with Mr Tudge, said she saw the pair “kissing and cuddling” one night in 2017.
Speaking to Perth radio station 6PR, Mr Porter denied he was in a relationship with the woman.
“They indicated that I had, I think implied that I had [been in a relationship] with a person that I had a drink at a bar with,” he said.
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