4 years ago
MINISTER IN A JAM OVER JAM LAND
TERRI BUTLER MP
Under sustained questioning in Question Time this week, Angus Taylor has:
- Stated that he had “no association” with a company he part owns - Jam Land Pty Ltd;
- Confirmed that he has failed to declare Jam Land on his Register of Members’ Interests;
- Confirmed that he requested and attended a meeting organised by Josh Frydenberg’s office with the Department of Environment and Energy concerning a listing of critically endangered grasslands on land he part owned;
- Confirmed that a compliance officer from the very unit investigating alleged poisoning of grasslands on Jam Land’s land attended the meeting.
Additionally we know:
- The Secretary of the Environment and Energy Department confirmed in Senate Estimates he was unaware of Angus Taylor’s shareholdings in the company being investigated by his department;
- Scott Morrison’s Cabinet Minister has failed to fulfil his primary obligation as a Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister by declaring his full interests;
- The Minister now oversees the Department that is investigating alleged poisoning on land that he part owns.
Since these matters have come to light, the Morrison Government has attempted to cover up the matters involving Taylor by:
- Shutting down the establishment of a Senate Inquiry to look into these matters;
- Shutting down debate in the House of Representatives today about these serious allegations.
This is about basic disclosure and governance practices and the Morrison Government has failed.
How can Australians trust anything Scott Morrison says if he can’t even make his own Ministers comply with basic but critical democratic principles like preventing clear conflicts of interest?
How can Australians trust anything Scott Morrison says if he can’t even make his own Ministers comply with basic but critical democratic principles like preventing clear conflicts of interest?