Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Hansard source

on indulgence—Thank you, Mr Speaker, for this indulgence and for the manner in which you've dealt with this matter. Over the course of Wednesday 20 November, a new staff member from my office recorded footage of me in various locations in and around Parliament House, including in the ministerial corridor. These recordings, while taken in error, were in no way covert. I acknowledge the error. I note that I've apologised to you and, through you, to all occupants of this building for those actions. I have now refamiliarised myself with the rules for media related activities in Parliament House and its precincts and have, as requested, brought those media rules to the attention of all of my staff.

I note, however, that, in raising this matter pursuant to standing order 51, Minister King has alleged amongst other things that I filmed in her ministerial suite and that I downloaded the footage onto a laptop. I reject those allegations. Unbeknownst to me, after capturing footage in the ministerial corridor, my staff member continued recording as I entered the reception and meeting room of the minister's suite. On returning to my office and having been made aware of that footage, the member of my staff was directed to delete it. That fact was contemporaneously confirmed when the Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms spoke with my staff member who apologised, accepted responsibility and confirmed that the footage had been deleted.

I have apologised to Minister King. The filming in her suite should not have occurred, and I accept responsibility for my staff member's error.

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