CHRIS BOWEN, SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH: Well thanks for coming everyone I have a few issues to cover this morning before taking questions. Firstly of course it's been a tragic 24 hours on the bushfire front with the loss in particular of the three American aerial firefighters, there were six firefighters as I understand it injured overnight in New South Wales as well. Thoughts of all Australians will be with the families of the deceased firefighters.

This is just the latest tragic instalment in a tragic season. I've just come from Horsley Park Bush Fire Brigade where the local Sikh community was supporting the bush firefighters. Of course the local brigade right here in Horsley Park gave two of their finest firefighters before Christmas. This community feels it very very acutely. All communities will feel it. And now of course our friends across the oceans in America of course join us in mourning those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. It's a reminder that the bushfire season, the bushfire crisis is far from over. And we have a long way to go.

The other issues I want to cover this morning are the Coronavirus. Of course we've seen the news that China is effectively quarantining Wuhan City. This is a good development but of course it does not mean we can be complacent. I have confidence in the steps that are being put in place by the Chief Medical Officer. He's briefed me now twice including as late as this morning on the steps being put in place by him and his State and Territory colleagues. There's been one direct flight in from Wuhan. Everybody who was on that flight was interviewed. Nobody was showing any signs of illness but of course it can take five to 10 days for the illness to incubate and our health system can and should be and is on alert across the Federal, State and Territory levels to ensure that everything's in place that is possible to be done. And as I said I thank the Chief Medical Officer not only for his briefings to me but for all the coordination of hard work that he and his team are putting in. I think Australians are right to be concerned about the situation but they should also be reassured in the quality of Australia's public servants and health professionals who are dealing with this.

The final matter I'll deal with is Bridget McKenzie. Here we are Friday and Bridget McKenzie is still a Minister. She should not be a Minister. She should not come out the other side of the long weekend as a Minister. We have the sham inquiry by the Attorney-General, one Cabinet Minister assessing the actions of another Cabinet Minister. We now know that the Prime Minister asked his Departmental Secretary to examine the matter. He just forgot to tell the Australian people about it.

And we have Peter Dutton this morning pre-empting the results of that inquiry saying Bridget McKenzie is in the clear. She has nothing to answer for. Nothing to see here. She should not be sacked or resign. This is a rolling farce. You've got a Cabinet Minister who is undermining what is meant to be an independent investigation. Scott Morrison shouldnt need an investigation to know the Bridget McKenzie should have been sacked a long time ago. This is an open and shut case of abuse of Ministerial power. And the longer this goes on the worse it will get for the Government. This cannot be shrugged away. This is a scandal. And Bridget McKenzie should not be in the Cabinet. What's quite clear is that there are internal forces at play. There is concern, we have reports that the Bridget McKenzie has lost the confidence of the Prime Minister and other senior members of the Government. But she is holding on. Why? Because this would unleash an internal war in the National Party. Well I don't care if it unleashes an internal war in the national party. When you take the oath of office as a Minister you sign up for Ministerial standards. She has not met those standards. She should go.

She should not come out the other side of the weekend as a Minister in the Government and the Labor Party will continue to pursue this every single day. Happy to take any questions.

JOURNALIST: So you touched on this but why is it do you think that Bridget McKenzie is still in the office and still has her job?

BOWEN: Well that's for the Government to explain. But it looks to me like the Government is worried that if Bridget McKenzie is sacked, Barnaby Joyce will challenge Michael McCormack and a National Party will go into meltdown and perhaps the National Party might say Well if Bridget McKenzie has been sacked why shouldn't Angus Taylor be sacked? and they're worried about all the ramifications. Well that's not our problem. That sounds like a National Party problem to me. It's not the problem of the Australian people and the Australian people have a right to expect that their Cabinet Ministers have upheld the higher standards and Bridget McKenzie has not.

JOURNALIST: Is there merit in the suggestion that Michael McCormack is worried that sacking her could open the door to Barnaby Joyce?

BOWEN: There may well be merit in the suggestion that Michael McCormack is worried that sacking Bridget McKenzie will open the door to Barnaby Joyce. And that's not our problem. That's not the problem of the Australian people. That's Michael McCormick's problem and he should show some leadership. He's the leader of the National Party. He should show some leadership here as well as the rest of the Government

JOURNALIST: Should she be the only Minister to resign?

BOWEN: Well Angus Taylor should have gone a long long time ago as well, a long long time ago as well. And Greg Hunt has serious questions to answer about his intervention in the TGA, the Therapeutic Goods Administration on the assessment of the safety of the Ellume flu monitor as well.

There are a number of Ministers under real pressure in this Government.

JOURNALIST: Are there any other final comments you'd like to make in regards to this sporting grants?

BOWEN: Well the sporting grants are a rort and Bridget McKenzie should not be a Minister today. She shouldn't be a Minister tomorrow. She certainly shouldn't come out the other side of the long weekend as a Minister.

All in all done? Thanks very much.