A committee has found former attorney-general Christian Porter did not breach parliamentary rules by not disclosing those behind a “blind trust” who paid for part of his defamation case.
But the committee also recommended political disclosure rules be overhauled.
A report by the Committee of Privileges and Members’ Interests, released on Tuesday, found the declaration “consistent” with Porter’s obligations under the parliament’s register of members’ interests.
But the bipartisan committee also stated that the “current arrangements are inadequate”.
“As a result of our deliberations the committee has begun work on changes we believe are necessary to the requirements of the register of members’ interests,” the committee wrote in its report, adding that the changes would better reflect the register’s “intent and integrity”.
Porter stepped down as a minister in September over the trust, after a backlash raised questions about its donors’ identities not being made public.
He said at the time he made the choice to stand down not to break individuals’ confidentiality. “There is only one choice I could, in all conscience, make,” he said.
Porter had discontinued the defamation case against the ABC and reporter Louise Milligan in May.
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