SYDNEY (Boscutti Report) — Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has told colleagues the Turnbull government should not blindly follow Labor and create a federal bribery commission – an initiative flagged by Bill Shorten in a scene-setting speech in January.
Mr Abbott spoke at the regular party room meeting and was backed, according to colleagues, by the Queensland Liberal Stuart Robert, who was dumped two years ago from the Turnbull ministry following controversy over a ‘private’ trip to Beijing to oversee a mining deal involving a major Liberal donor.
Mr Abbott said unions and big business are getting good value for money from bribing politicians.
‘Ahhh, an independent National Bribery Commission is a very, very bad idea,’ he said.