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Yesterday the government announced $40m to “raise school standards”.

Stuart Robert, the acting education minister, was sent out to sell the policy pledge, as education minister Alan Tudge, who Scott Morrison confirmed is still in cabinet, has stepped aside from his portfolio.

On News Breakfast, Lisa Millar pressed Robert was pressed on why Tudge wasn’t making the announcement, considering Morrison said on Wednesday that Tudge would be his education minister in a re-elected government.

Q: Why isn’t the education minister, Alan Tudge, making this announcement today?

Robert:

I’m the acting education minister, and have been for almost 12 months. So I’ve got full authority in terms of running the education portfolio, as well as skills and workplace and the other things that I do.

Q: So where is Alan Tudge?

Robert:

I suggest in his electorate. I don’t know where he is. I tend not to keep track of my colleagues’ whereabouts.

Q: Well, he is a frontbencher and the prime minister has said that he’s welcome back in cabinet, but he’s sitting on an electorate with a 10% margin. So he would normally be out campaigning elsewhere, but he’s not in this, because of the allegations that have sat over him and this question about the $500,000 payment. When are taxpayers going to get the right to know what when on in his ministerial office and why this $500,000 payment has been made to one of his staffers?

Robert:

I’m not across those issues so, unfortunately, I can’t give you any degree of answer. They’re issues that are dealt with by the Department of Finance, very much at arm’s length from anyone. Certainly arm’s length from me. My responsibility as required by the prime minister as the acting education minister and the acting minister for youth, is to use all of those resourcing and requirement and continue to act in the best interests of the people of Australia, which I’ve been doing with my state and territory colleagues. That’s why just before the election, of course, we signed off on the national curriculum, which was a landmark piece of work that we did together as education ministers right across the country.

Q: Don’t you think, given that Alan Tudge’s [former staffer] Rachelle Miller has released the government of any responsibility when it comes to the confidentiality over the legal claim, that it is right for taxpayers to did why that money was paid and what’s behind it?

Robert:

Again, Lisa, I’m just not across those issues in any detail at all.

Q: Minister, I’m not sure that that would swing with our viewers, suggesting that you’re not aware or not across it, given that it has filled headlines and column pages for months.

Robert:

I’m still not across what the details are. I’m not across what the legalities are.

Q: Do you think that taxpayers have a right to know? OK, but if you don’t know the details, do you think that taxpayers have a right to know? It’s $500,000. Something went on in a minister’s office and $500,000 gets paid out?

Robert:

Again, I’m not going to comment on things that I’m just not across. I don’t think that the Australian people expect the acting education minister to wade into every issue, especially issues that I’m simply not briefed on. My brief is to ensure that we can get the best possible curriculum and the best possible teacher education quality out of our universities, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.