The Federal Government has rushed to silence an attempt to investigate Chirstian Porter's worthiness as a minister. 

Efforts were made this week to establish an independent inquiry into damning allegations against Mr Porter, but the private member’s bill was blocked straight away.

Greens Senator Larissa Waters this week tried to introduce a Senate motion, titled the Ministerial Suitability Commission of Inquiry Bill 2021, seeking to “establish an inquiry into whether Christian Porter is a fit and proper person to be a minister of state”. 

The Morrison government joined with One Nation and Senator Jacqui Lambie to block the bill from even being introduced.

“This is a shameful day for this government and the Australian Parliament,” Senator Waters said after the session.

“There are unresolved rape allegations against a cabinet minister and this government has taken an almost unprecedented decision to prevent us progressing a bill which would establish an independent inquiry to test those allegations.

“The Australian people need confidence that the institutions of government, ministers in cabinet in particular, are fit and proper people to be making decisions on their behalf.

“It’s untenable for the questions to remain over Christian Porter’s fitness to remain a minister.

“This is an astonishing abuse of process. It is Parliament’s job to debate important issues in the public interest.

“Whether a bill passes is a matter for Parliament, but denying the opportunity even for bills to be progressed and debated is not how democracy works.

“We are still able to move for this bill to be referred to committee for an inquiry, which is what we will do, and will also seek to reintroduce the bill – over and over again if we have to,” she said. 

“We won’t let this go.”