Kim Wilkie (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy Speaker, under standing order 51 I seek to raise a matter of privilege. On 9 October I was invited to announce a new Green Corps project in Queens Park in my electorate and informed that an official launch, to which I would be invited, was imminent. Less than an hour later the invitation was withdrawn on the basis that I was not a Liberal member of parliament. My office was informed it was a major error to inform me of the project and invite me to participate in its launch.

The Green Corps program is publicly funded. It is administered by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations in consultation with the Department of the Environment and Heritage. The project officer who invited me to participate in the launch of the Queens Park project believed I was entitled to do so on the basis that I was the representative of the people of Swan in this parliament. The decision to un-invite me was not one made by the project officer. That officer was merely following the dictate of the government. I believe the decision to deny me the opportunity to participate in the launch of this publicly funded project constitutes a grave interference in the free performance of my duties as a member of parliament.

I seek leave to table written confirmation of the invitation and un-invitation to participate in the project launch. I have four emails here: firstly, one from Monday, 9 October at 1 pm advising me that I was being invited to the project and calling for a press release announcing it, secondly, one 48 minutes later advising me that a major mistake had been made on behalf of the people. I have another one from 10 October that talks about how, because there was a bit of misinformation around, they wanted to find out that there were no Liberal members for Swan or Brand. I have another one, also from 10 October, saying that, given that there were no Liberal members for Swan or Brand, they had been informed they should be inviting the Liberal patron senators to conduct the event.

Mr Deputy Speaker, I ask that you give this matter consideration with a view to giving precedence to a motion to refer this issue to the Committee of Privileges.

Ian Causley (Page, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member does not need leave to table documents regarding privilege. I will refer the matter to the Speaker, who I am sure will take it into consideration.