Two Australian ministers resign over scandals

Two Australian cabinet ministers have resigned over separate scandals, in the first major setback for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Infrastructure minister Jamie Briggs resigned after a civil servant complained about his inappropriate behaviour at a Hong Kong bar, while special minister of state Mal Brough quit pending a police inquiry into his role into

Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Jamie Briggs quit after a public servant complained about his behaviour at a Hong Kong bar.

Special Minister of State and defence materiel minister Mal Brough quit pending a police inquiry into his alleged procurement of another politician’s diary.

In the first case, Briggs said that his behaviour at a bar while on an overseas visit “did not meet the particularly high standard for ministers”.

He said that he went to a crowded bar after dinner while on a trip to Hong Kong in late November with his chief of staff, some officials and a female public servant.

"At no point was it my intention to act inappropriately and I'm obliged to note for the record that nothing illegal has been alleged or did in fact occur," he said in a statement. "However, in the days following the evening the public servant raised a concern about the appropriateness of my behaviour towards her at the venue.

"I've apologised directly to her but after careful reflection about the concerns she raised and the fact that I was at a bar late at night while on an overseas visit, I have concluded this behaviour has not met the particularly high standards for ministers."

He told a press conference that he had spoken to Turnbull about the incident, and that the prime minister agreed that Briggs had not met the standard of behaviour required of ministers.

He refused to comment on the specific nature of the incident and did not name the public servant who made the allegations.

In the second case, Brough is being investigated by police over the alleged illegal procurement of a another politician's diary.

He has been accused of illegally obtaining copies of former speaker Peter Slipper's diary in 2012 at a time when Slipper was embroiled in a sexual harassment case, which was later dropped. Brough denies wrongdoing, but Turnbull said in a statement that he had “done the right thing”by stepping aside from his Cabinet post pending the investigation.

The prime minister said he was "disappointed" with Briggs' conduct but looked forward to his future contributions to the government.

Environment minister Greg Hunt will now take on Briggs' infrastructure and regional development portfolio. Minister for Finance Mathias Cormann will act as Special Minister of State, while Minister of Defence Marise Payne will act as Minister for Defence Materiel and Science.