Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I second the motion. We understand that some of our constituents are passionate about certain issues, and old-growth forests and logging is one such issue. However, although they have the right and the responsibility to protest about these things, they must do so appropriately. Sadly, Ms Swift did not appropriately protest about these issues. She had numerous legal options open to her to raise her genuine concerns and to let the area know that these were issues which meant a great deal to her and about which she was passionate.

Taking someone’s letterhead and, more importantly, their signature—that letterhead and signature belonging to a member of parliament—was not an appropriate form of protest. For all Ms Swift’s contention that it was an April Fools’ Day joke, we as the Committee of Privileges did not find that that was a decent enough excuse to allow someone to use a member of parliament’s letterhead and, as I said, more importantly, that member’s signature to protest. Ms Swift stands rightly reprimanded by this parliament for breaching our privilege.

If we had let this matter pass, we would have been saying to the electorate at large that any member of parliament is fair game; any member of parliament’s letterhead and signature can be abused in this manner. In this day and age of modern technology it is fairly easy to reproduce someone’s letterhead and a very good-looking signature. That could lead to open slather. As Ms Swift said, these things can be amusing, but they can also be hurtful and damaging, and sometimes harmful and scurrilous accusations can be circulated in the community. Ms Swift stands reprimanded by this parliament for her contempt. I support the motion before the House.

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