Sussan Ley has agreed to stand aside as health minister amid a string of scandals surrounding her use of taxpayer-funded trips to the Gold Coast.
“After discussions with the Prime Minister I have agreed to stand aside while his departmental secretary thoroughly investigates these travel claims,” Ms Ley said in a press conference at her Albury home on Monday.
“I apologise for the distraction that this issue has caused.”
“It's not an admission that I've broken the rules and I'm very confident that the investigations will demonstrate that no rules were broken whatsoever.”
.@sussanley agrees to stand aside as Health Minister during investigations into travel claims pic.twitter.com/pkaEgA1nZ5 — ABC News 24 (@ABCNews24) January 9, 2017
The Health Minister caved to mounting pressure to relieve herself of portfolio duties on Monday morning amid revelations she bought a $795,000 apartment during a taxpayer-funded trip to the Gold Coast in 2015.
It was also revealed she claimed travel costs to the Gold Coast for New Year's Eve celebrations two years in a row.
Ms Ley has asked the Department of Finance investigate her ministerial travel to the Gold Coast and on Monday the prime minister announced he's also instructed the secretary of his department to investigate.
"I expect the highest standards from my ministers in all aspects of their conduct, and especially the expenditure of public money," Malcolm Turnbull said in a statement on Monday.
She will stand aside without ministerial pay until the investigation is complete.
“The team comes first and I’m very happy because I’m very confident of the outcome of these two independent investigations,” Susan Ley said.
In 2013, she claimed flights and taxis to attend a business lunch and the following year, attended the businesswoman's annual New Year's Eve event, she said.
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