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Christian Porter has resigned as a minister after he accepted money from unknown sources through a trust arrangement for his legal battle against the ABC.

Mr Porter was industry, science and technology minister and a former attorney-general.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor will act in Mr Porter’s portfolios.

Here is the PM:

“In relation to Minister Porter over the course of the last few days, and in the discussions that we have had, the inability for him to be able to practically provide further information because of the nature of those arrangements, if we were able to do that, that would allow the Minister to conclusively rule out a perceived conflict, and as a result of him acknowledging that, he has this afternoon taken the appropriate course of action to uphold those standards by tendering his resignation as a minister this afternoon, and I have accepted his resignation. His actions have been about upholding the standards.”

Click here to read the story.

Now former-minister Christian Porter has released a lengthy statement attacking the ABC for subjecting him to what Mr Porter called a “trial by media” that unleashed a “mob” against him.

Here is a portion of that statement, in which he also says that he will not step down from his seat and has nominated for preselection to be the Liberal candidate at the next election.

Mr Porter resigned from Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s front bench on Sunday.

Member for Pearce Christian Porter.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

“Thousands of ordinary people contacted me, expressing disgust at what the ABC had done,” Mr Porter’s statement said.

“Even though I suspected action against the taxpayer-funded broadcaster was probably going to be financially unsustainable, as it ultimately was, I decided I had to commence action against the ABC.

“Some people wanted to help in that course by supporting my defamation case. They contributed to a trust on the basis of confidentiality and a belief that their contribution would remain confidential within the rules of disclosure.

“Whilst I have no right of access to the funding or conduct of the trust, on my request the trustee provided me an assurance that none of the contributors were lobbyists or prohibited foreign entities. This additional information was provided as part of my ministerial disclosure.

“No doubt the desire of some, possibly many, of those contributors to remain anonymous was driven by a natural desire to avoid the inevitable fact that for supporting me, the trial by mob would inevitably turn on them if they were identified.

“Facing a false allegation is an experience that places your family, friends and staff under enormous and cruel pressure. It has resulted in constant abuse and ongoing threats. For me personally, the physical threats of violence, the experience of being spat at and publicly abused for something I didn’t do has been nearly beyond comprehension in a civilised country.

“To my family, friends, staff, colleagues and supporters who have helped me get through these most difficult days, words will never be able to adequately express the deep gratitude I feel.

“I understand the questions raised in the media about the financial arrangements to help fund the now settled litigation. But I consider that I have provided the information required under the Members’ Register of Interests. I also considered that the additional disclosures I provided under the Ministerial Standards were in accordance with its additional requirements.

“However, after discussing the matter with the Prime Minister I accept that any uncertainty on this point provides a very unhelpful distraction for the government in its work. To the extent that that uncertainty may be resolved by seeking further information in relation to the identities of the contributors, this would require me to put pressure on the Trust to provide me with information to which I am not entitled.

“I am not prepared to seek to break the confidentiality of those people who contributed to my legal fees under what are well-known and regular legal structures, including the confidentiality attached to the trust contribution.”

Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has lashed Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s leadership in the wake of Christian Porter’s resignation from the cabinet and his ministry.

“Christian Porter’s belated resignation is yet another failure of leadership from a Prime Minister who has no standards and is still to hold any inquiry into the serious and disturbing allegation made against his former attorney-general,” Mr Dreyfus said in a statement.

He accused Mr Morrison of tarrying over the last several days as pressure on Christian Porter grew over what Mr Dreyfus said was a contribution of up to $1 million from an unknown benefactor for his legal bills in his defamation battle with the ABC.

“Mr Morrison now needs to come clean on how much he knew about this secret fund, and he still needs to demand Mr Porter come clean on the source of his donations.

“The Australian people need to know who funded this trust, how much they gave, and what they expected to get in return for these donations.”

Mr Morrison has declined to directly endorse Mr Porter for preselection in his WA electorate of Pearce, which has been made more marginal by a redistribution.

Asked whether he will be the Liberal candidate for the seat, Mr Morrison draws a contrast with the debacle that has engulfed the Labor Party in the electorate of Fowler.

In that seat, a retiring MP had wanted his seat to go to a local lawyer from the Vietnamese community.

Under a factional deal, it will instead go to Senator Kristina Kenneally.

On Mr Porter, Mr Morrison said:

If he wishes to stand again I’m sure he will put himself forward to the selectors that Pearce for the Liberal Party and in our party though selectors will make those decisions. This isn’t Fowler. This isn’t some deal in Fowler we are talking about.

Click here to read the story.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is asked whether Christian Porter should remain in Parliament while he cannot say the ultimate source of money that he has received towards his legal bills.

He does not directly address the question, saying “what Mr Porter does not is a matter for him, he’s not a member of my cabinet”.

Well, you are now talking about a different set of issues which relates to the Parliament and I am not the custodian of the Parliament. The Parliament is the custodian of the Parliament. I am the custodian of ministerial standards and I have acted in accordance with those ministerial standards. I take them very seriously.

Mr Morrison says that the people of Pearce, the WA electorate that Mr Porter represents, are his boss.

“He will go back to doing that job”.

Click here to read the story.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says that he has not yet received the advice that he sought from his department about whether Christian Porter breached ministerial standards.

“What I would call it is the minister being the beneficiary of an arrangement that prevents him from being able to disclose to me in a way that would allow him to satisfy that he does not have a conflict of interest or a perceived conflict of interest,” Mr Morrison says in Sydney.

He says Mr Porter has upheld the ministerial standards by resigning and says the pair had discussions and Mr Porter contemplated his position over the last couple of days.

“It is a blind trust. He cannot disclose to me who those donors are,” Mr Morrison said.

“The issue for the Prime Minister is about whether a minister is in a position to ensure that he can satisfy himself that he doesn’t have a conflict of interest, perceived or otherwise, and so the minister has taken a decision which respect that standard.”

Click here to read the story.

Christian Porter has resigned as a minister after he accepted money from unknown sources through a trust arrangement for his legal battle against the ABC.

Mr Porter was industry, science and technology minister and a former attorney-general.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor will act in Mr Porter’s portfolios.

Here is the PM:

“In relation to Minister Porter over the course of the last few days, and in the discussions that we have had, the inability for him to be able to practically provide further information because of the nature of those arrangements, if we were able to do that, that would allow the Minister to conclusively rule out a perceived conflict, and as a result of him acknowledging that, he has this afternoon taken the appropriate course of action to uphold those standards by tendering his resignation as a minister this afternoon, and I have accepted his resignation. His actions have been about upholding the standards.”

Click here to read the story.

Premier Mark McGowan has slammed Perth’s anti-lockdown protest, calling protesters extreme right-wingers who just wanted to cause trouble.

“What are they protesting about?” he said.

“I mean, we’re not in lockdown. We’re in a free community, free society. I think they’re just out there because they’re trying to cause trouble, they’re the sort of people who’d like to cause trouble.”

A large crown of more than 1000 people gathered in Forrest Place on Saturday to join national anti-lockdown protests, with the anti-vaccination sentiment running strong.

Mr McGowan said he did not pay much attention to the protest, after noting that he was depicted as Hitler by one protestor’s sign. He urged the protesters to “grow a brain”.

Mr McGowan said people in WA were living in a COVID-free paradise.

He said he was considering taking more innovative measures to get people vaccinated, including taking clinics on the road to shopping centres, or setting up vaccinations at the Perth Royal Show.

He urged West Australians still in Victoria to come home.

He said Victoria was getting closer to being deemed an “extreme risk”, which would mean the border would slam shut as it was to New South Wales.

Click here to read the story.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is due to give a press conference from Sydney at 3.30pm AEST.

The Australian Hotels Association has criticised the Victorian Government’s roadmap as “too restrictive”.

AHA president David Canny said at the “bare minimum” Victoria should have matched NSW’s roadmap for venues.

Mr Canny said in NSW once the 70 percent threshold is reached, fully vaccinated customers are welcome at pubs and hotels subject to one person per 4 sqm inside and one person per 2 sqm outside without the requirement to be seated.

Victorian hospitality venues will be permitted to operate outdoors under density limits and outdoor gatherings will be allowed for up to 50 people once 70 per cent of Victorians aged over 16 have been fully vaccinated.

When Victoria reaches the 80 per cent fully vaccinated milestone, hospitality venues, retail and entertainment venues will be allowed to operate indoors under strict density limits.

“If a venue is required to have vaccinated staff and customers, why are the patron numbers so restrictive?” Mr Canny said.

“The logic is flawed.

“Pubs and hotels wanted to trial the “Pub Pass” vaccination system even before the state hits 70 per cent double dose.

“The government wants a vaccination model. If people can get to a pub once they’re jabbed, it will help the government achieve their goals.”

Mr Canny said Victorian venues should have the same restrictions as NSW.

“We call on the Victorian Government to maintain ongoing financial support for pubs and hotels under the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund,” Mr Canny said.

“Our pubs and hotels employ 52,000 Victorians; livelihoods and jobs will continue to be lost if we can’t balance our health response with business needs.

“We are asking for consistency across our industry and country. We don’t want Victoria lagging behind other states when we can be part of the solution to getting Victoria back on track.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has sent out an alert that he will have a press conference from Kirribilli House in Sydney at 3.30pm AEST.

We hope to have a live stream for you at that time.

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