Bob McMullan (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I have a question that relates to the letter I wrote to you on 18 April concerning the new requirements for sponsorship of Parliament House passes for lobbyists. You will recall that I said at that time that it was so excessive as to be ridiculous and that it set requirements that neither you, nor I, nor the Prime Minister, nor any other member of this parliament could hope to meet. I note there has been some trivial amendment to that proposal. But the fundamental flaw, which requires people to enter the private areas of Parliament House on multiple occasions for 40 weeks of the year, has been retained.

I ask whether you will review that proposal and whether you are aware that, as a result of that proposal, to get their numbers of meetings up people are arranging meetings in Parliament House that would otherwise be held elsewhere. How does that enhance parliamentary security? Will you undertake to review this ridiculous set of requirements? A person attending to see members of parliament on every day the parliament sits and every day the cabinet sits would not meet the requirements of the standards which you have now set down.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Fraser. I will have a further look at the points he has raised.