‘It’s plain that the company and the Chinese government thought they were dealing with Mr Robert in his ministerial capacity, ‘ Labor Senator Penny Wong put to senior DFAT official Graham Fletcher during a Senate hearing on Thursday.
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He said claims that Robert had lent his prestige as a government minister to his business mate was “an offensive suggestion” and “a massive overreach”.
The minister argued he had attended the mining cooperation signing ceremony “in a private capacity”, but a media release issued by China MinMetals Corporation said he had extended his congratulations “on behalf of the Australian Department of Defence” and had presented “a medal bestowed to him by Australian prime minister in honour of remembrance and blessing”.
Mr Turnbull also faced questions on the controversy, particularly on the scope of Dr Parkinson’s inquiry and what information he was given to investigate the matter.
The investigation found Mr Robert was under the impression he did not have any interest in or connection to Mr Marks’ company, Nimrod Resources.
Mr Robert has confirmed that the businessman, Li Ruipeng, presented himself and other coalition figures with Rolex watches, worth about $250,000 in total, which had since been returned.
Mr Robert appeared to have not received any financial benefit and the conduct in question did not directly relate to his ministerial duties, Dr Parkinson said.
Mr Robert (second from right) with a series of government frontbenchers on a visit to China in a photograph first published by the Herald Sun.
Mr Robert was defended by fellow ministers including the new Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce.
Ministerial colleagues have spent the week defending Mr Robert against Labor attacks.
Asked if the minister indicated whether the visit to China was a private trip, Mr Richardson said: “I’m not aware that we were advised that he was travelling to China privately”.
The findings went to cabinet’s governance sub-committee on Thursday.
Earlier in the week, Treasurer Scott Morrison said it was a “ridiculous beat-up”.
‘What we’ve seen is Scott Morrison going into bat for internal factional reasons, trying to save the career of a minister who had clearly, in an open-and-shut manner, breached the ministerial code of conduct, ‘ Mr Bowen told reporters in Sydney.
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Mr Robert’s office briefed the department on the trip after he returned to Australia.
