Doorstop interview: Banking royal commission

Senator O’Sullivan has prepared a bill for a banking inquiry. I’ve put a notice of motion up that we would provide precedence for that notice of motion.

 

I think it is important that we do have an inquiry into the banks, I think it’s absolutely essential in fact that people can have confidence in the banking system and until there is either a Royal Commission, which is our preferred position, or a banking inquiry, then the public will not have faith in the system.

 

JOURNALIST: Is there support for your motion? How likely is that we will be debating that legislation?

CAMERON: Well if Senator O’Sullivan brings the bill on we will be debating it today. I think there is support there.

 

JOURNALIST: Bill Shorten’s just announced that Sam should resign form senior posts, what’s your response to that, your comment on that? Has Sam crossed the line?

CAMERON: Well the Leader has made a decision, that’s the correct decision for the Leader to make. I think one of the key issues arising out of this is how does the so called ASIO or security investigations become public? I think that’s a key issue and that’s what we need to have a look at.

 

JOURNALIST: To some extent Sam, his comments on the South China Sea, was he just speaking his mind and what’s the balance there between speaking your mind and I guess walking the party line?

 

CAMERON: Well I like to speak my mind from time to time but you have got to ask Sam that – I don’t know what was in Sam’s mind on that but the reality is that we have a situation here where the Leader has taken strong action, and I support that action.

 

JOURNALIST: Do you think he will bounce back?

CAMERON: Will he bounce back? I don’t know, I really don’t know what the situation is but I have got to say to you I think there have been worse examples in terms of providing China with preferential treatment.

 

That’s been Andrew Robb who as the Minister for Trade came up with a China Free Trade Agreement that provides nearly unlimited access to Chinese workers into this country, no consideration of Australian jobs in that agreement, and then as soon as he finished in Parliament he goes and works for a Chinese company.

 

So I think there are issues, we have said that foreign donations should be banned and it’s really up to the Federal Government to step in and support that position to make sure there is no impression of any undue influence.