The veteran Liberal MP Russell Broadbent, chair of the privileges committee, naturally assumed the Porter controversy was about to land in his lap, because the government opposing that motion, in his understanding, would have been unprecedented in the history of the Australian parliament. Normally, once the Speaker has made a prima facie determination, these things are waved through on the voices. Bridget McKenzie in the Senate Chamber at Parliament House Bridget McKenzie warns ‘it will be ugly’ if Morrison commits to net zero target without Nationals support Read more But Broadbent was in for a rude shock. Peter Dutton, managing business for the government in the house, opposed the referral. The government’s numbers were mobilised to block the proposal.

Source: Christian Porter’s blind trust should be examined by parliament – but it won’t be and that’s crushingly predictable | Katharine Murphy | The Guardian