The minister who backed Malcolm Turnbull over Tony Abbott to secure funding for stage two of the Gold Coast Light Rail project is now in hot water over alleged ministerial misconduct.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten moved to censure Turnbull in Parliament on Thursday, over the prime minister’s “failure” to sack the minister for human services Stuart Robert.
Robert, who represents the division of Fadden, which will host the second stage of the Gold Coast light rail line, said he turned against his “mate” Tony Abbott during last year’s leadership spill because he was confident the move would translate to funding for the project.
Shortly after Turnbull usurped Abbott for leadership of the Coalition, he named Robert the minister for human services, and announced a federal contribution for stage two of the light rail project.
But now Robert is the target of a campaign by the Labor Party, which says he should resign due to alleged misconduct relating to a 2014 meeting with Chinese mining executives.
Robert claims he went to China in a “private capacity,” with personal friend and Liberal donor Paul Marks, to help Marks’ business Nimrod Resources secure a deal with Chinese Government-owned Minmetals.
Minmetals, however, referenced Robert’s ministerial capacity in its press release, leading to suggestions that the then-assistant minister for defence had leveraged his government role to help progress a deal for a friend and donor.
“The minister for human services provided assistance to Nimrod Resources during a trip to China in August 2014,” Shorten said in Canberra on Thursday. “[Robert] admitted to the house that he was travelling in a personal capacity.
“The minister’s actions were a direct breach of clause 2.20 of the prime minister’s own statement of ministerial standards.”
Shorten said Marks has donated more than $2 million in the past two financial years.
It was an admitted breach of Turnbull’s ministerial standards that led to cities minister Jamie Briggs’ resignation during the Christmas break.
“This prime minister set one standard for the minister for cities, and is setting a lower standard for his own backer Stuart Robert,” Shorten said.
“We have seen the divisions of this government revealed for all to see.
“When the minister for cities had his particular difficulties, I have no doubt that this prime minister moved harsh and quick. That’s what he does to people he doesn’t like.
“But Mr Robert … he’s in a different category … He’s one of the great fundraisers of the Liberal Party. So when we see the money talking, we don’t see Mr Robert walking.”
Turnbull remained tight-lipped on the issue.