Christian Porter has resigned as Australia’s federal minister for industry because he had failed to disclose where money to pay for a court case came from.
Porter said he made the decision to avoid the possibility of any perceived “conflict of interest” for the government.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Sydney on Sunday that he had accepted Porter’s resignation and had appointed Energy Minister Angus Taylor to act in his role.
“His actions have been about upholding the standards,” Morrison said.
A “blind trust” paid the settlement for an outstanding court case of Porter’s.
“I expect my ministers, all of them, and myself, to uphold the ministerial standards and to act in accordance with those ministerial standards,” Morrison said.
“Mr Porter, by taking the decision he has done today, that is the appropriate decision in these circumstances, that reinforces our government’s commitment to those standards.”
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