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Inquiry bill dismissed by government to ‘protect Porter’s boys club’
The decision by the federal government to block a controversial bill that could have introduced an inquiry into Christian Porter’s fitness to remain a cabinet minister has been criticised as “protection racket for the boys club” and an “absolute outrage”.
Naomi Neilson
Earlier this month and in response to a petition signed by 90,000 people to launch an inquiry into whether Christian Porter is a fit and proper person to remain in cabinet, Greens’ senator Larissa Waters indicated she would introduce the bill to kickstart an independent inquiry into historic rape claims against the former attorney-general.
After Ms Waters’ proposed bill was sensationally blocked a second time in the Senate chamber late last week – once with the support of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party – she accused the government of “thriving on secrecy” to protect the boys club that continues to exist in Parliament, adding “we all knew this, but this is a new low”.
“To stop a senator from introducing a bill for a measure of transparency that goes to the functioning of this democracy is an absolute outrage. It is outrageous to process and democracy – but more so an outrage to survivors of sexual assault,” she said.BREAKING: Govt is BLOCKING me introducing a bill for a Inquiry into whether Mr Porter is fit to remain in Cabinet given the unresolved rape allegations. Blocking a bill is very very rare. This is a protection racket for the boys club from a Govt allergic to transparency! #auspol
— Larissa Waters (@larissawaters) June 16, 2021
In tweets during the decision, the senator said that it was “very, very rare” for the government to block any bill but that the particular blocking of this one is “protection racket for the boys club from a [government] allergic to transparency”. When the bill was blocked a second time, she questioned what the government had to hide.
On Monday, 21 June Ms Waters said that “women deserve better” so she would keep trying to push for an inquiry, especially given the return of Barnaby Joyce who had stepped down following his own harassment allegations. An eight-month investigation by the party had failed to reach a conclusion about his allegations.
The bill was blocked just weeks prior to the Federal Court’s upcoming decision on whether documents from Mr Porter’s defamation trial should be released to the public. Mr Porter has fought to keep three sections permanently redacted.And again I’m blocked from progressing the bill, lost the vote 28:30. The vote for the bill to go to inquiry regardless was lost just prior, also 28:30. I’ll keep trying. Women deserve better. Two men in Cabinet accused of sexual misconduct is 2 too many #JusticeforKate #auspol
— Larissa Waters (@larissawaters) June 21, 2021
A/N: An original version of this article incorrectly stated that the petition figures were 900,000, rather than 90,000.
Naomi Neilson
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
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