Legal advice to answer questions: Vic MP

Suspended Victorian minister Adem Somyurek says he needs legal advice to answer questions in parliament while he is being investigated for bullying.

The small business minister was suspended after bullying allegations from his chief-of-staff and others in his office in May.

Mr Somyurek said he could not answer questions about the matter while an investigation is going on without getting legal advice.

Two investigations examining the complaint and the competence of his office are underway.

The opposition asked in Question Time why he didn't show up to parliament for a week after he was stood down.

"I did not come to parliament on those days due to the reasons why I outlined in my member's statement," Mr Somyurek said on Wednesday.

"And that was to be with my family at a very traumatic time, and in order to deal with the review process."

Mr Somyurek said he still professed his innocence but the complainants did not appreciate it when he did, so he wasn't going to keep doing it.

On Tuesday he took four questions on notice - including a question about whether he had been told to take questions on notice.

The upper house MP has voluntarily halted his ministerial salary while the bullying investigation is completed.