Speaker rules MPs can move to suspend Justyne Caruana ethics debate

Government MPs are free to move a motion before the parliamentary Standards Committee to put off a discussion on alleged wrongdoings by Justyne Caruana, Speaker Anglu Farrugia ruled on Monday.

Government MPs want to move the motion to delay the debate until after a court decides a case by the former minister challenging the authority of the Standards Commissioner.

The commissioner had found that the minister abused her power and breached ethics rules in awarding a contract to Daniel Bogdanovic, a close personal friend. He also found that although Bogdanovic was paid handsomely to review the National Sports School, he had not even written the report himself and then repeatedly lied about it when questioned.

The parliamentary standards committee was due to start considering Hyzler's report last week but government MPs argued that the debate should not be held until a court case instituted by Caruana was decided. 

The former minister is challening the validity of the law granting the Standards Commissioner “unfettered discretion” throughout the ethics probe, saying it breached her right to a fair hearing. 

Opposition MPs hit back at the request, arguing that the law did not allow...