PM's office quizzed on royal commission

Labor is asking Malcolm Turnbull's office to reveal exactly when he knew about horrific financial abuse in the banking sector.

Some advisers charged the deceased for financial advice. Source: Getty

Labor wants to know when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull knew big banks were charging fees to dead customers.

The banking royal commission has uncovered horrific cases of financial abuse, but Treasurer Scott Morrison in April said: "They are not things that the government was not aware of."

In April, Scott Morrison said the government was not aware of CBA's actions in relation to charging dead customers. Source: AAP Image Dean Lewins

Labor senator Kimberley Kitching wants the prime minister's department to reveal exactly when he was told about the cases.

"Is it true the prime minister knew the Commonwealth Bank was charging fees to dead customers while he was rejecting the need for a royal commission?" Senator Kitching asked in a Senate committee on Tuesday.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said the government decided to clean up the industry instead of having a royal commission.

But he added the coalition had since changed its mind and acknowledged it should have called the inquiry earlier.