Andrew Wilkie (Denison, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I approach this debate on the motion to suspend standing orders and the amendment from the point of view of supporting proper process. I, and I hope everyone in this place would, agree that the member for Dobell is innocent until proven guilty. I hope we would all agree that the process of Fair Work Australia and perhaps the New South Wales Police should be allowed to run its course and we should not pass judgment on the member for Dobell until those inquiries are finished. We should not simply be passing judgment on him in this place. I would normally leave it to the Selection Committee to steer us through the business in this place. As a general rule, I would agree with the member for Melbourne, and in fact the member for Lyne, on the importance he places on the Selection Committee. But this is a remarkable episode. There is no denying that the member for Denison is the subject of extraordinary—sorry, the member for Dobell.

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