A Centre Alliance Senator has criticised former defence minister Christopher Pyne for taking a job which could be in breach of the ministerial code of conduct.

Mr Pyne, who announced his retirement from politics in the lead-up to the federal election, has taken a job as a defence consultant with multinational business advisers EY.

But Senator Rex Patrick says his appointment is likely in breach of the Statement of Ministerial Standards.

The code of conduct says that for 18 months after their retirement, ministers cannot “take personal advantage of information to which they have had access as a minister, where that information is not generally available to the public”.

Senator Patrick tells Luke Grant that Christopher Pyne has exercised particularly “bad judgement” in this case.

“He has knowledge of the broadest affairs of government and the intimate details of every significant matter in respect to the defence portfolio.

“He can’t unknow what he knows when he’s forming up advice to give to Ernst & Young.

“What Christopher has done, in my view, is inappropriate. It lacks judgement… the PM must act.”

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