All Above Board ROFL
Christopher Pyne discussed defence industry job while still a member of Cabinet, consultancy firm confirms
By political reporter
Matthew Doran
Posted about 2 hours agoTue 13 Aug 2019, 4:54pm
Photo: Christopher Pyne has defended himself from allegations of breaching the Ministerial Standards. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
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Former defence minister Christopher Pyne discussed taking a consultancy job three days before the election was called, while still a member of Cabinet, business firm EY has confirmed.
Key points:
- Christopher Pyne has been criticised for accepting a defence industry consulting role so soon after leaving the ministry
- EY revealed it approached him about the job three days before the election was called
- Mr Pyne and EY deny the former minister is in breach of the Statement of Ministerial Standards
Pyne's post-politics job
- 2 March 2019 - Christopher Pyne announces retirement from politics
- 8 April 2019 - Mr Pyne meets EY defence industry leader Mark Stewart
- 11 April 2019 - Prime Minister Scott Morrison calls the election for 18 May
- 17 April 2019 - EY offers Mr Pyne a job as a consultant
- 20 April 2019 - Mr Pyne accepts the offer
- 18 May 2019 - Federal Election is held
- 7 June 2019 - Mr Pyne starts the new job
Despite that, the Senate backed a push by crossbench senator Rex Patrick to investigate the matter further.
"Consistent with our public statements on this matter, EY has not, and will not, seek that Mr Pyne lobby, advocate or have business meetings with members of the Government, Parliament, public service or Defence Force on any matters on which he has had official dealings as Minister in his last 18 months in office," Mr Stewart said.
"EY requires that Mr Pyne will maintain confidentiality over, and not seek to take personal advantage of, information to which he had access as a Minister where that information is not generally available to the public.
Dr Parkinson has also made a submission to the inquiry, reiterating the results of his investigation and commenting on the strength of the Statement of Ministerial Standards.
"I believe that a former-Minister should have the ability to gain employment after they have left the Parliament — whether or not that employment relates to the matters they dealt with as a Minister," he wrote to the committee.
"As I mentioned in my 19 July letter to the Prime Minister, Ministers — and parliamentarians for that matter — gain experience and knowledge in subject matters during their time in the Parliament. Extinguishing that experience is impossible.
"However, it is important that former Ministers do not misuse the knowledge and information they have gained from their ministerial position(s) to benefit themselves or others."
