Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is standing by his Defence Minister, but says he is disappointed Joel Fitzgibbon failed to declare gifts he received from a Chinese-born businesswoman. | Name that Party, Down Under edition... |
Mr Rudd told reporters in Washington that it is appropriate that Acting Prime MInister Julia Gillard has demanded an apology from Mr Fitzgibbon and that he has given it. "It is right that he apologise," Mr Rudd said. "I am disappointed that he did not make these declarations back then. I expect better of Mr Fitzgibbon in the future."
Last night Mr Fitzgibbon said he had "taken immediate steps to declare this sponsored travel to the clerk of registrar of members' interests". These trips were paid for by Ms Helen Liu either personally or through her associated commercial interests. I failed to disclose those trips. This was a mistake and for that I apologise."
Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull told ABC Radio's AM program that Mr Rudd must sack the Defence Minister. "The real question now is for Mr Rudd. Is he going to take his responsibilities as Prime Minister seriously?" he said. "Is he going to leave in place a Defence Minister that has lost the confidence of the defence forces, the Defence Department and the public?"