Putin has banned 550 Australians from entering Russia over the last two years - including many currently elected federal MPs & Senators, the former premiers of Victoria & South Australia, as well a number of senior public servants

On 7 April 2022 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation announced that all the then current members of the Parliament of Australia were banned from entering Russian territory.

Presumably because Russian President Vladimir Putin was responding to Australia's sanctions on Russia since 2014 in relation to Russia's aggression towards Ukraine.

This entry ban apparently remains in place for those named sitting MPs and Senators remaining in the Australian Parliament in 2024.

Which means that the NSW Northern Rivers region has two banned MPs - the Members for Richmond and Page.

7 April 2022 18:54

Foreign Ministry statement on personal sanctions on senior officials and MPs of Australia

755-07-04-2022

Obediently following the policy set by the collective West, Canberra has fallen into a Russophobic frenzy and introduced sanctions against Russia’s senior leadership and practically all members of parliament. In response, on April 7, 2022, Russia added to its stop list members of the Australian National Security Committee, House of Representatives, Senate and regional legislative assemblies. They are denied entry into the Russian Federation.

This step comes in response to the unfriendly actions by the current Australian Government, which is prepared to support any actions aimed at containing Russia.

Subsequent announcements will expand the sanctions blacklist to include Australian military, entrepreneurs, experts and media figures who contribute to negative perceptions of our country. We will resolutely oppose every anti-Russia action – from the introduction of new personal sanctions to restrictions on bilateral economic ties, which is doing damage to bilateral economic relations.

Below is the list of Australian citizens who are denied entry into the Russian Federation.

1 Scott Morrison, Prime Minister

2 Barnaby Joyce, Deputy Prime Minister

3 Karen Andrews, Minister for Home Affairs

4 Simon Birmingham, Minister for Finance

5 Patrick Gorman, MP, House of Representatives

6 Luke Gosling, MP, House of Representatives

7 Peter Dutton, Minister for Defence

8 Michaelia Cash, Attorney-General

9 Marise Payne, Minister for Foreign Affairs

10 Joshua Frydenberg, Treasurer

11 Anthony Albanese, MP, House of Representatives

12 John Alexander, MP, House of Representatives

13 Katrina Allen, MP, House of Representatives

14 Anne Aly, MP, House of Representatives

15 Kevin Andrews, MP, House of Representatives

16 Bridget Archer, MP, House of Representatives

17 Adam Bandt, MP, House of Representatives

18 Angie Bell, MP, House of Representatives

19 Sharon Bird, MP, House of Representatives

20 Christopher Bowen, MP, House of Representatives

21 Russell Broadbent, MP, House of Representatives

22 Scott Buchholz, MP, House of Representatives

23 Anthony Burke, MP, House of Representatives

24 Linda Burney, MP, House of Representatives

25 Josh Burns, MP, House of Representatives

26 Mark Butler, MP, House of Representatives

27 Terri Butler, MP, House of Representatives

28 Anthony Byrne, MP, House of Representatives

29 James Chalmers, MP, House of Representatives

30 Darren Chester, MP, House of Representatives

31 Lisa Chesters, MP, House of Representatives

32 George Christensen, MP, House of Representatives

33 Jason Clare, MP, House of Representatives

34 Sharon Claydon, MP, House of Representatives

35 Elizabeth Coker, MP, House of Representatives

36 David Coleman, MP, House of Representatives

37 Julie Collins, MP, House of Representatives

38 Patrick Conaghan, MP, House of Representatives

39 Vincent Connelly, MP, House of Representatives

40 Patrick Conroy, MP, House of Representatives

41 Mark Coulton, MP, House of Representatives

42 Dugald Dick, MP, House of Representatives

43 Mark Dreyfus, MP, House of Representatives

44 Damian Drum, MP, House of Representatives

45 Maria [Justine] Elliot, MP, House of Representatives

46 Warren Entsch, MP, House of Representatives

47 Trevor Evans, MP, House of Representatives

48 Jason Falinski, MP, House of Representatives

49 Joel Fitzgibbon, MP, House of Representatives

50 Paul Fletcher, MP, House of Representatives

51 Nicolle Flint, MP, House of Representatives

52 Michael Freelander, MP, House of Representatives

53 Andrew Gee, MP, House of Representatives

54 Steven Georganas, MP, House of Representatives

55 Andrew Giles, MP, House of Representatives

56 David Gillespie, MP, House of Representatives

57 Ian Goodenough, MP, House of Representatives

58 Helen Haines, MP, House of Representatives

59 Garth Hamilton, MP, House of Representatives

60 Celia Hammond, MP, House of Representatives

61 Andrew Hastie, MP, House of Representatives

62 Alexander Hawke, MP, House of Representatives

63 Christopher Hayes, MP, House of Representatives

64 Julian Hill, MP, House of Representatives

65 Kevin Hogan, MP, House of Representatives

66 Luke Howarth, MP, House of Representatives

67 Gregory Hunt, MP, House of Representatives

68 Edham Husic, MP, House of Representatives

69 Stephen Irons, MP, House of Representatives

70 Stephen Jones, MP, House of Representatives

71 Robert Katter, MP, House of Representatives

72 Gerardine Kearney, MP, House of Representatives

73 Craig Kelly, MP, House of Representatives

74 Matt Keogh, MP, House of Representatives

75 Peter Khalil, MP, House of Representatives

76 Catherine King, MP, House of Representatives

77 Madeleine King, MP, House of Representatives

78 Andrew Laming, MP, House of Representatives

79 Michelle Landry, MP, House of Representatives

80 Julian Leeser, MP, House of Representatives

81 Andrew Leigh, MP, House of Representatives

82 Sussan Ley, MP, House of Representatives

83 David Littleproud, MP, House of Representatives

84 Gladys Liu, MP, House of Representatives

85 Nola Marino, MP, House of Representatives

86 Richard Marles, MP, House of Representatives

87 Fiona Martin, MP, House of Representatives

88 Kristy McBain, MP, House of Representatives

89 Emma McBride, MP, House of Representatives

90 Michael McCormack, MP, House of Representatives

91 Melissa McIntosh, MP, House of Representatives

92 Brian Mitchell, MP, House of Representatives

93 Robert Mitchell, MP, House of Representatives

94 Ben Morton, MP, House of Representatives

95 Daniel Mulino, MP, House of Representatives

96 Peta Murphy, MP, House of Representatives

97 Shayne Neumann, MP, House of Representatives

98 Edward O'Brien, MP, House of Representatives

99 Llewellyn O'Brien, MP, House of Representatives

100 Brendan O'Connor, MP, House of Representatives

101 Kenneth O'Dowd, MP, House of Representatives

102 Clare O'Neil, MP, House of Representatives

103 Julie Owens, MP, House of Representatives

104 Antony Pasin, MP, House of Representatives

105 Alicia Payne, MP, House of Representatives

106 Gavin Pearce, MP, House of Representatives

107 Graham Perrett, MP, House of Representatives

108 Fiona Phillips MP, House of Representatives

109 Keith Pitt, MP, House of Representatives

110 Tanya Plibersek, MP, House of Representatives

111 Charles Porter, MP, House of Representatives

112 Melissa Price, MP, House of Representatives

113 Rowan Ramsey, MP, House of Representatives

114 Armanda Rishworth, MP, House of Representatives

115 Stuart Robert, MP, House of Representatives

116 Michelle Rowland, MP, House of Representatives

117 Joanne Ryan, MP, House of Representatives

118 Rebekha Sharkie, MP, House of Representatives

119 Devanand Sharma, MP, House of Representatives

120 William Shorten, MP, House of Representatives

121 Julian Simmonds, MP, House of Representatives

122 Anthony Smith, MP, House of Representatives

123 David Smith, MP, House of Representatives

124 Warren Snowdon, MP, House of Representatives

125 Anne Stanley, MP, House of Representatives

126 Zali Steggall, MP, House of Representatives

127 James Stevens, MP, House of Representatives

128 Michael Sukkar, MP, House of Representatives

129 Meryl Swanson, MP, House of Representatives

130 Angus Taylor, MP, House of Representatives

131 Daniel Tehan, MP, House of Representatives

132 Susan Templeman, MP, House of Representatives

133 Matthew Thistlethwaite, MP, House of Representatives

134 Phillip Thompson, MP, House of Representatives

135 Kate Thwaites, MP, House of Representatives

136 Alan Tudge, MP, House of Representatives

137 Maria Vamvakinou, MP, House of Representatives

138 Albertus van Manen, MP, House of Representatives

139 Ross Vasta, MP, House of Representatives

140 Andrew Wallace, MP, House of Representatives

141 Timothy Watts, MP, House of Representatives

142 Anne Webster, MP, House of Representatives

143 Anika Wells, MP, House of Representatives

144 Lucy Wicks, MP, House of Representatives

145 Andrew Wilkie, MP, House of Representatives

146 Joshua Wilson, MP, House of Representatives

147 Richard Wilson, MP, House of Representatives

148 Timothy Wilson, MP, House of Representatives

149 Jason Wood, MP, House of Representatives

150 Kenneth Wyatt, MP, House of Representatives

151 Terry Young, MP, House of Representatives

152 Antonio Zappia, MP, House of Representatives

153 Trent Zimmerman, MP, House of Representatives

154 Eric Abetz, Senator

155 Alex Antic, Senator

156 Wendy Askew, Senator

157 Tim Ayres, Senator

158 Catryna Bilyk, Senator

159 Andrew Bragg, Senator

160 Slade Brockman, Senator

161 Carol Brown, Senator

162 Matthew Canavan, Senator

163 Kim Carr, Senator

164 Claire Chandler, Senator

165 Anthony Chisholm, Senator

166 Raff Ciccone, Senator

167 Richard Colbeck, Senator

168 Dorinda Cox, Senator

169 Perin Davey, Senator

170 Patrick Dodson, Senator

171 Jonathon Duniam, Senator

172 Don Farrell, Senator

173 Mehreen Faruqi, Senator

174 David Fawcett, Senator

175 Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Senator

176 Katy Gallagher, Senator

177 Nita Green, Senator

178 Stirling Griff, Senator

179 Karen Grogan, Senator

180 Pauline Hanson, Senator

181 Sarah Hanson-Young, Senator

182 Sarah Henderson, Senator

183 Hollie Hughes, Senator

184 Jane Hume, Senator

185 Kristina Keneally, Senator

186 Kimberley Kitching, Senator

187 Jacqui Lambie, Senator

188 Sue Lines, Senator

189 Jenny McAllister, Senator

190 Malarndirri McCarthy, Senator

191 Susan McDonald, Senator

192 James McGrath, Senator

193 Bridget McKenzie, Senator

194 Nick McKim, Senator

195 Andrew McLachlan, Senator

196 Sam McMahon, Senator

197 Greg Mirabella, Senator

198 Jim Molan, Senator

199 Deborah O`Neill, Senator

200 Matt O`Sullivan, Senator

201 James Paterson, Senator

202 Rex Patrick, Senator

203 Hellen Polley, Senator

204 Louise Pratt, Senator

205 Gerard Rennick, Senator

206 Linda Reynolds, Senator

207 Janet Rice, Senator

208 Malcolm Roberts, Senator

209 Anne Ruston, Senator

210 Paul Scarr, Senator

211 Zed Seselja, Senator

212 Tony Sheldon, Senator

213 Ben Small, Senator

214 Dean Smith, Senator

215 Marielle Smith, Senator

216 Jordon Steele-John, Senator

217 Glenn Sterle, Senator

218 Amanda Stoker, Senator

219 Lidia Thorpe, Senator

220 Anne Urquhart, Senator

221 David Van, Senator

222 Jess Walsh, Senator

223 Larissa Waters, Senator

224 Murray Watt, Senator

225 Peter Whish-Wilson, Senator

226 Penny Wong, Senator

227 Matthew Guy, legislative assembly member

228 Steve Dimopoulos, legislative assembly member

This was followed by the promised additional banning lists, as it appears that along with the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and the EU, Australia continues to irritate Vladimir Putin.

21 July 2022 19:17

Foreign Ministry statement on introducing personal sanctions on representatives of Australia’s law enforcement agencies, border force and defence sector contractors

1514-21-07-2022

In response to the official Canberra’s adoption of sanctions in line with the Australian version of the Magnitsky Act, the Russian Federation has added 39 people from law enforcement agencies, the border force and Australia’s defence sector contractors to the national stop list.

The names of the blacklisted people are as follows:.....

All 39 names can be found on the Russian Foreign Ministry website at

https://mid.ru/en/press_service/spokesman/official_statement/1823204/

21 June 2023 18:24

Foreign Ministry statement on the introduction of personal sanctions against Australian citizens

1217-21-06-2023

In response to the politically motivated sanctions against Russian individuals and legal entities introduced by the Australian government as part of the Russophobic campaign by the collective West, entry to Russia is closed indefinitely for additional 48 Australians from among contractors of the military-industrial complex, journalists and municipal deputies who are creating the anti-Russian agenda in that country. Their names are as follows:.....

All 48 names can be found on the Russian Foreign Ministry website at

https://mid.ru/en/press_service/spokesman/official_statement/1890258/

17 April 2024 11:23

Foreign Ministry statement on personal sanctions on members of Australia’s municipal councils

703-17-04-2024

In response to the politically motivated sanctions imposed on Russian private individuals and legal entities by the Government of Australia as part of the collective West’s Russophobic campaign, the decision has been made to indefinitely deny entry to Russia to 235 Australian nationals who are members of municipal councils actively promoting the anti-Russia agenda in their country. The complete list of individuals affected by this measure follows below.

Given that official Canberra shows no sign of renouncing its anti-Russia position and the continued introduction of new sanctions, we will further update the Russian stop list accordingly.....

All 235 names can be found on the Russian Foreign Ministry website at

https://mid.ru/en/press_service/spokesman/official_statement/1944697/ 

INDIGENOUS VOICE TO PARLIAMENT REFERENDUM VOTE 31 MAY 2023: how ABC News reported an historic House of Representatives vote.....

 

House of Representatives, Hansard, Wednesday 31 May 2023:

The SPEAKER (Hon. Milton Dick) took the chair at 09:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read

prayers.

BILLS

Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023

Second Reading

Consideration resumed of the motion:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The SPEAKER (09:01): In accordance with the resolution agreed to on 30 May 2023, I will put the question immediately. The question before the House is that this bill be now read a second time.

The House divided. [09:05]

(The Speaker—Hon. Milton Dick)

Ayes.......................120

Noes.......................25

Majority .................95

AYES

Albanese, A. N. Aly, A. Ananda-Rajah, M.

Andrews, K. L. Archer, B. K.

Bandt, A. P. Bates, S. J. Bell, A. M. Bowen, C. E.

Burke, A. S. Burnell, M. P. Burney, L. J.

Burns, J. Butler, M. C. Byrnes, A. J.

Chalmers, J. E. Chandler-Mather, M. Chaney, K. E.

Charlton, A. H. G. Chesters, L. M. Clare J. D.

Claydon, S. C. Coker, E. A. Coleman, D. B.

Collins, J. M. Conroy, P. M.

Daniel, Z. Doyle, M. J. J. Dreyfus, M. A. Dutton, P. C.

Elliot, M. J. Entsch, W. G.

Fernando, C. Fletcher, P. W. Freelander, M. R.

Garland, C. M. L. Gee, A. R. Georganas, S. Giles, A. J.

Gorman, P. Gosling, L. J.

Haines, H. M. Hastie, A. W. Hill, J. C. Husic, E. N.

Jones, S. P.

Kearney, G. M. Keogh, M. J. Khalil, P. King, C. F. Lawrence, T. N. Laxale, J. A. A. Le, D. Leeser, J.

Leigh, A. K. Ley, S. P. Lim, S. B. C.

Marino, N. B. Marles, R. D. Mascarenhas, Z. F. A.

McBain, K. L. McBride, E. M. McIntosh, M. I.

McKenzie, Z. A. Miller-Frost, L. J. Mitchell, B. K.

Mitchell, R. G. Morrison, S. J. Mulino, D.

Murphy, P. J.

Neumann, S. K.

O'Brien, E. L. O'Connor, B. P. J. O'Neil, C. E.

Payne, A. E. Pearce, G. B. Perrett, G. D. Phillips, F. E.

Plibersek, T. J. Price, M. L.

Rae, S. T. Ramsey, R. E. Reid, G. J. Repacholi, D. P.

Rishworth, A. L. Roberts, T. G. Rowland, M. A.

Ryan, J. C. Ryan, M. M.

Scrymgour, M. R. Sharkie, R. C. C. Shorten, W. R. Sitou, S. Smith, D. P. B. (Teller) Spender, A. M. Stanley, A. M. (Teller) Steggall, Z. Stevens, J. Sukkar, M. S.

Swanson, M. J.

Taylor, A. J. Tehan, D. T. Templeman, S. R. Thistlethwaite, M. J. Thompson, P.

Thwaites, K. L. Tink, K. J.

Vamvakinou, M.

van Manen, A. J. Vasta, R. X. Violi, A. A.

Ware, J. L. Watson-Brown, E. Watts, T. G.

Wells, A. S. Wilkie, A. D. Wilson, J. H.

Wolahan, K. Wood, J. P.

Zappia, A.

NOES

Birrell, S. J. Boyce, C. E. Buchholz, S. (Teller)

Chester, D. J. Conaghan, P. J. Coulton, M. M. (Teller)

Gillespie, D. A. Goodenough, I. R.

Hamilton, G. R. Hawke, A. G. Hogan, K. J. Howarth, L. R.

Joyce, B. T. G.

Landry, M. L. Littleproud, D.

McCormack, M. F.

O'Brien, L. S.

Pasin, A. Pike, H. J. Pitt, K. J.

Wallace, A. B. Webster, A. E. Willcox, A. J. Wilson, R. J.

Young, T. J.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

The third reading having been agreed to the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023 bill now goes to the Senate for its consideration.

Hansard now records that on 30 November 2022 the former prime minister and Liberal MP for Cook Scott Morrison was formally censured in the House of Representatives 86 votes to 50 — with one of his fellow Liberals crossing the floor to support the censure, one abstaining & a number 'missing in action'

 

An instance of politically reaping what one has sown came to pass for Scott John Morrison yesterday when a motion of censure was put to Parliament......

House of Representatives, Parliamentary Business, Chamber documents, Live Minutes, 30 November 2022:

Question put— 12:02:04 PM

Division 81 — 12:02:17 PM

The House divided (the Speaker, Mr Dick, in the Chair) —

AYES, 86

Mr Albanese Mrs Elliot Ms McBride Dr Scamps

Dr Aly Ms Fernando Mr Marles Ms Scrymgour

Dr Ananda-Rajah Dr Freelander Ms Mascarenhas Ms Sharkie

Mrs Archer Dr Garland Ms Miller-Frost Mr Shorten

Mr Bandt Mr Georganas Mr B Mitchell Ms Sitou

Mr Bates Mr Giles Mr R Mitchell Mr Smith*

Mr Bowen Mr Gorman Dr Mulino Ms Spender

Mr Burke Mr Gosling Mr Neumann Ms Stanley*

Ms Burney Dr Haines Mr O’Connor Ms Steggall

Mr Burns Mr Hill Ms O’Neil Ms Swanson

Mr Butler Mr Husic Ms Payne Ms Templeman

Dr Chalmers Mr Jones Mr Perrett Mr Thistlethwaite

Mr Chandler-Mather Ms Kearney Mrs Phillips Ms Thwaites

Ms Chaney Mr Keogh Ms Plibersek Ms Tink

Dr Charlton Mr Khalil Dr Reid Ms Vamvakinou

Ms Chesters Ms C King Mr Repacholi Ms Watson-Brown

Mr Clare Ms M. M. H. King Ms Rishworth Mr Watts

Ms Coker Ms Lawrence Ms Roberts Ms Wells

Ms Collins Mr Laxale Ms Rowland Mr Wilkie

Mr Conroy Dr Leigh Ms J Ryan Mr J Wilson

Ms Daniel Mr Lim Dr M Ryan Mr Zappia

Mr Dreyfus Ms McBain

NOES, 50

Ms Bell Mr Hamilton Mrs Marino Mr Taylor

Mr Birrell Mr Hastie Mr Morrison Mr Tehan

Mr Boyce Mr Hawke Mr Ted O’Brien Mr Thompson

Mr Broadbent Mr Hogan Mr Pasin Mr Vasta

Mr Buchholz Mr Howarth Mr Pearce Mr Wallace

Mr Coleman Mr Joyce Mr Pike Ms Ware

Mr Conaghan Mr Katter Mr Pitt Dr Webster

Mr Coulton* Ms Landry Ms Price Mr Willcox

Mr Dutton Mr Leeser Mr Ramsey* Mr R Wilson

Mr Entsch Mr Littleproud Mr Robert Mr Wolahan

Mr Fletcher Mr McCormack Mr Stevens Mr Wood

Dr Gillespie Mrs McIntosh Mr Sukkar Mr Young

Mr Goodenough Ms McKenzie

* Tellers

And so it was resolved in the affirmative.

It is noted that all the Independent MPs — with the exception of Ms. Dai Li the Member for Fowler — voted in support of the censure motion. Ms. Dai Li appears to have abstained.

It is further noted that Mrs. Bridget Archer the Liberal Member for Bass voted in support of the censure motion, while Karen Andrews the Liberal Member for McPherson appears to have abstained. UPDATE: It appears that Sussan Ley the Liberal Member for Farrer & Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party may also have abstained.

A further 5 members of the Coalition Opposition were  

— perhaps 'diplomatically' — absent from the House at the time the vote was taken. They were Alan Tudge (Lib Aston), Lew O’Brien (LNP Wide Bay), Andew Gee (Nats Calare), Bert van Manen (LNP Forde) on leave, Darren Chester (Nats Gippsland) on leave.

The Greens Members for Melbourne, Griffith and Ryan all voted in support of the censure motion, as did Ms. Sharkie the Centre Alliance Member for Mayo. Mr. Katter the KAP Member for Kennedy voted against the censure motion.

The text of the Censure Motion to which those 86 members of the House of Representatives agreed.......

House of Representatives, Hansard, 30 November 2022, excerpt:

MOTIONS

Member For Cook

Censure

Mr BURKE (Watson—Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Minister for the Arts and Leader of the House) (09:06): Given the nature of the motion I am about to move, I think it would suit the convenience of the House for the normal speaking times which apply to all members to not apply to the member for Cook, should he rise to speak. I think, given the nature of the motion, it's appropriate that the member for Cook, should he wish to speak, be able to make whatever length of contribution he chooses.

I move:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) the Constitution provides for 'responsible government', described by the High Court of Australia as a 'system by which the executive is responsible to the legislature and, through it, to the electorate';

(b) in the Inquiry into the Appointment of the Former Prime Minister to Administer Multiple Departments, the Honourable Virginia Bell AC found that while the Member for Cook was the Prime Minister of Australia he:

(i) had himself appointed to administer:

(A) the Department of Health on 14 March 2020;

(B) the Department of Finance on 30 March 2020;

(C) the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources on 15 April 2021;

(D) the Department of Treasury on 6 May 2021; and

(E) the Department of Home Affairs on 6 May 2021; and

(ii) did not inform:

(A) Cabinet;

(B) the relevant Departments;

(C) the House of Representatives; or

(D) the Australian public;

about these additional appointments; and

(c) as found by the Honourable Virginia Bell AC, the actions and failures of the Member for Cook:

(i) 'fundamentally undermined' the principles of responsible government because the Member for Cook was not 'responsible' to the Parliament, and through the Parliament to the electors, for the departments he was appointed to administer; and

(ii) were 'apt to undermine public confidence in government' and were 'corrosive of trust in government'; and

(2) therefore censures the Member for Cook for failing to disclose his appointments to the House of Representatives, the Australian people and the Cabinet, which undermined responsible government and eroded public trust in Australia's democracy.

Today's motion is not how any of us wanted to make history. In any other circumstance, for any other former Prime Minister and, certainly, even for the member for Cook, had the disclosure not been made available about the multiple ministries, we would not be here now. But a censure, while rare, has its place. The last time this parliament censured a member of parliament, it was a former minister, and it was done so unanimously. It was done so unanimously in relation to a former minister on the following basis: the decision was made that he—and I'll read this—'fell below the standards expected of a member of the House'. It wasn't that he had acted unlawfully; it was that he had fallen below the standards expected of a member of the House. That is the test. The test for censure, while rare, is not the test: would the courts overrule it? The courts are the place to determine whether or not something was lawful. In the parliament we determine whether or not something was appropriate.

I ask all members to think back to the first moment they heard about the multiple ministries and what their

reaction was. Some gave their reaction on the record and many more gave their reaction off the record. Nobody, except the member for Cook himself, had the reaction or said that this was acceptable or it met the standards expected of this House.

There are many democracies that have a system different to ours. There are many democracies around the world where the system of government is that the executive are quite separate to the legislature. Our system is responsible government. The executive are here in this room for the purpose of being held to account every day the legislature sits. That entire concept of responsible government only works if the parliament and, through the parliament, the

Australian people know which members of the executive are responsible for what.

This is not some small matter. It goes to the absolute core of the principle of responsible government. Responsible government was what Ms Bell referred to specifically. In her report she said:

… the principles of responsible government were "fundamentally undermined" …

She also said:

… the lack of disclosure of the appointments to the public was apt to undermine public confidence in government.

She also said:

… the secrecy with which they had been surrounded was corrosive of trust in government.

If we could unanimously determine that the conduct of Bruce Billson fell short of the standards, how on earth can the multiple ministries—and in question time after question time we, in fact, did not know where portfolios had been allocated—meet the standard? Question time is viewed as the most significant part of the parliamentary day.

It's when every member turns up. It's not a requirement that every member turns up; it is a convention. We have to defend our conventions too.

The core of responsible government was breached with the multiple appointments. In doing so, the member for

Cook did not tell the ministers themselves that he had been sworn into their portfolios. His cabinet was not told.

The department secretaries were not told. The parliament was not told. Through the parliament, the Australian people were not told. In doing this, the member for Cook did not just fall below the standards expected; he undermined them, he rejected them, he attacked them and he abused them.

How do we even know that all this happened? We know because at the same time that the member for Cook was not telling his colleagues, not telling this parliament and not telling the Australian people he was telling some

journalists writing a book. He thought it was interesting to contribute to the publication of a book, but not important to let anybody know where it was directly relevant to them.

The defences that have been offered, including the defences offered by the member for Cook through his lawyers to the Bell inquiry, are logically impossible. The member for Cook's lawyers said for him:

However, this in no way suggests that he did not expect that the usual practice would apply and that PM&C would publish the appointments in the Gazette.

It beggars belief that the member for Cook is now arguing that it was somehow just presumed it would have been made public in the Gazette and yet he was making sure he didn't tell the ministers themselves. When asked about the ministers, he said on 17 August the reason he didn't want to tell them was, 'I did not wish ministers to be second guessing themselves.' Both cannot be true. It cannot be the case that it was presumed it was going to come out in the Gazette and that it was important for people to not be told. To this day, the different versions being offered by the member for Cook cannot reconcile themselves with each other.

In the same way, when this started to emerge, when only Health, Finance and Industry, Science and Resources appointments had been known, on radio the member for Cook said this. He was asked, 'Just to be clear: are there other portfolios you assumed any control over?' The answer was: 'Not to my recollection. I don't recall any others being actioned.' It beggars belief that anyone in Australia's history could forget that they had been appointed Treasurer. It beggars belief.

At the start of question time each day, when a minister is not present, every prime minister has an obligation to

allow the House to know who is answering questions on their behalf. And, yet, at those exact moments the former Prime Minister never once said that he in fact was sworn into different portfolios and could answer those questions as well. The pathway of question time, the pathway of what this House did last term, was different because we were deceived. It was different. Questions were asked in different forms to different people because we weren't told.

It is true that what happened here was the end of a long process of enabling. When conventions were attacked, one after another, it led in a direct line to where we ended up, when we had the situation of there being constant silencing of opposition voices, when we had a cabinet committee with only one member, when we had a circumstance where, for the first time in living memory, a Speaker, a member of their own party, made a recommendation for a privileges reference which could have led to censure of one of their own. But they used their numbers to prevent the independence of the Speaker being recognised to defend—

An opposition member: It's just politics.

Mr BURKE: I hear the comment there—'It's just politics.' If that's the attitude then you never would have censured Bruce Billson. Every single threshold that has previously resulted in a censure being given of a member is met today and is met more strongly today than it ever has been before.

This place runs on rules and conventions. The mere existence of the office of Prime Minister and the existence of a cabinet is a convention. It's not in the Constitution. It's not required. It is a convention on which our system of government hangs. The concept that the parliament knows who has which job is essential to responsible government.

You cannot have responsible government if you don't know what people are responsible for, and for two years we didn't know. For two years, the ministers themselves did not know. For two years, departmental secretaries were unaware of who the ministers were to whom they had responsibility.

The gravity of what we are dealing with today is a censure motion beyond what the parliament has previously dealt with. Previously what we have dealt with is the conduct of one member being sufficiently bad that we needed to defend the House as a whole to say, 'That is not allowed to happen.' On this occasion, the conduct of one member prevented the House from doing its job. The conduct of one member prevented the House from knowing who was responsible for what. The fact that that one member was also the Prime Minister of Australia means that what we are dealing with now isn't just unprecedented, could not have been predicted, but is so completely unacceptable.

For members today I say to those opposite: there will be some thinking, yes; they oppose it but their party's made a decision. They've got to lock in; they've got to follow what their leader wants, and that's just where they're at. I'd just remind those members opposite of this: that is exactly what happened for the whole of the last term. It is exactly how every precedent was trashed. It is exactly how the principles of responsible government ended up being attacked in ways that hadn't happened before.

There is no previous Liberal Prime Minister where this sort of motion would ever have been moved. But the conduct that happened in the last term, that we now know about, was unacceptable, fell below the required standards and we have no choice but to support a censure.

It is noted that 21 MPs rose to their feet to debate the censure motion:

Mr Morrison,  9:21:46 AM. Mr Dreyfus,  9:45:46 AM. Mr Fletcher,  9:56:40 AM. Ms C King,  10:06:44 AM. Mr Katter,  10:16:30 AM. Ms M. M. H. King,  10:27:59 AM. Mr Leeser,  10:38:05 AM. Ms O’Neil,  10:47:30 AM. Mrs Archer,  10:52:47 AM. Mr Albanese,  10:56:44 AM. Mr McCormack,  11:16:08 AM. Mr Bandt,  11:29:29 AM. Dr Haines,  11:38:37 AM. Dr M Ryan,  11:41:49 AM. Ms Chaney,  11:47:27 AM. Dr Scamps,  11:49:02 AM. Ms Spender,  11:53:13 AM. Ms Daniel,  11:55:30 AM. Ms Steggall,  11:57:43 AM. Ms Tink,  11:59:57 AM.